THE LIZARDS 109 



A development like this is to be noted with Terato- 

 scincus scincus, a species attaining a length of six to 

 seven inches and inhabiting the arid or actual desert 

 regions of Turkestan and Persia, and as well with the 

 genera Ceramo&actylus, Ptenopus and Steno&actylus, 

 in all about eight species. 1 The single species of 

 C eramodactylus inhabits the deserts of Persia and 

 Arabia. Ptenopus is represented by a very small 

 species inhabiting South Africa — Damara Land. The 

 five species of Stenodactylus are small and inhabit the 

 sterile sands of northern Africa and southwestern 

 Asia. 



For the uninitiated tourist in a tropical country there 

 is usually an unpleasant surprise — furnished by ven- 

 turesome geckos. One generally anticipates an awaken- 

 ing of insect life with the coming of darkness, and he 

 is not disappointed. Swarms of winged forms are 

 attracted to his lamp. Great, hard-shelled beetles enter 

 the window with a sonorous hum like from a distressed 

 buzz-saw, dash against the lamp chimney, then flounder 

 on the floor; moths of various sizes dart hither and 

 thither or whirl in dizzy gyrations about the light ; a col- 

 ony of tiny, ghost-like things dance up and down or are 

 instantly consumed in the flame; there is a continuous 

 buzz varying in its cadence and taxing to the nerves 

 of any but a naturalist, when, without warning, a silent 

 gray form darts obliquely across the wall, jumps from 

 the vertical surface to the ceiling over which it flees, 

 and like a streak of light continues down the opposite 

 wall; perhaps for a moment it may stop, exhibiting a 

 body as big as that of a small rat, glittering, cat-like 

 eyes and a pulsating throat. To the nervous traveler, 



1 Exactly the same form of development for a desert life is to be seen 

 with the species of Uma — American lizards of the family Iguanidce, in- 

 habiting the deserts of the southwestern United States. See illustration. 



