178 THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 



retrograde forms in whicli the hinder 

 limbs are entirely absent or the front 

 ones reduced to mere stumps. These 

 exceptional instances pave the way to 

 the famil}- of the Amphisbaenas, in 

 which such or a still lower phase 

 of limb development represents the 

 normal condition. The Amphisbsenas 

 are remarkable for their worm-like re- 

 semblance, and for the circumstances 

 that they live like earth-worms in bur- 

 rows, that their cj'es are fiinctionless 

 (being concealed beneath the skin), 

 and that they are without ears. Other 

 details of structure indicate a most 

 rudimentar}- condition of develop- 

 ment, and they consequently rank as 

 the lowest group in the Lizard series. 

 Another peculiarity of the Amphisba;nas is that, in place of scales, the skin of the body is 

 divided into square segments, which form symmetrical rings like those of worms. In addition 

 to this, these retrograde lizards possess the worm-like faculty of being able to move backwards 

 and forwards in their burrows with equal facilit)'. It is from this peculiar property that their 

 title of Amphisbsena, signifying " moving both wa_\'s," is derived. The representatives of this 

 family, including between sixty and seventy species, are widely distributed, being found in 

 America, the West Indies, Africa, and also European countries that border the Mediterranean 



While the Teguexins present resemblances in one direction with the Amphisbaenas, or 

 Worm-like Lizards, the higher or Monitor-like forms ha\-e much in common with the Tj'pical 

 or True Lizards, of which two small but well-known species — the Sand- and VlVlPAROL's 

 LlZ.\KD — are indigenous to the British Isles. All the members of the True Lizards, num- 

 bering some hundred species, are inhabitants of the Old World, becoming scarce, however, 

 towards the far east of the Asiatic Continent. All possess shapeK' bodies and well-developed 

 limbs with fi\e-toed feet, and are remarkable for the extreme activit}' of their movements, 

 and in man\- cases brilliant colouring. 



rhtlt it W. p. D.inJ,, F.Z.S. 



ARIZONA HELODERM (POISONOUS LIZARD) 



In the ivartcd texture of iti ikm-surjace the heloderm differs conspicuously from other 



lizards 



The varying individual shades of 

 the Greex Lizard's brilliant emerald 

 bod)' are almost infinite, no two being 

 quite precisel}- alike in this respect. 

 In some a yellower, in others a bluer 

 green predominates, while the females 

 and young are more or less mottled 

 or striped with brown. The under 

 surf;^ce of the body is usuall}- a more 

 or less bright yellow, and the throat, 

 in the males more particularly, at the 

 breeding-season is frequently brilliant 

 blue. The more conspicuous colour 

 differences exhibited by this lizard 

 are, however, intimately associated 

 with the local habitat of the particular 

 race. Those indigenous to Spain and 

 Portugal, for example, are more or 

 less ornamented with ocellated spots 



photo b) Scholaitic Photo. Co, 



WHITE MONITOR 



T/tis and other allied species appear to be dead as they lie basking in the sun 



