Zoohgt/.'\ 



NATCTRAL HISTORY OF VICTORIA. 



IReptiles. 



Measurements, &c. — continued. 



Reference. — = Laccrta varia (Shaw), White, Journ. N.S.W., t. 3, f. 2. 



This is by far the largest of the Victorian Lizards, sometimes 

 reaching 6 feet in length, and from its fierce, bloodthirsty disposi- 

 tion is a most unwelcome visitor to the poultry yartls, from which 

 it occasionally carries off the chickens. Its usual food is the 

 common Opossum, and various smaller mammals and birds. It is 

 often popvilarly called Iguana by the settlers, but the English name 

 originally given by Shaw is more desirable, as there is no near 

 affinity with the herbivorous true Iguana, in which the body has a 

 dorsal crest, a dilatable throat, a thick, Avido, slightly notclied tongue, 

 imbricated body scales, and different maxillaries and dentition. 



The color varies greatly, being different in every individual in 

 the relative projioriion of the yellow and the black. Our figure and 

 description indicate the commonest marking, l)ut in some even the 

 usual strong, transverse, black bands on the throat are absent. 



r 8 1 



