OBSERVATIONS ON LACERTILIANS. 
By RAYMOND L. DITMARS, 
CURATOR OF REPTILES. 
F the class of reptiles, the Order of Lacertilia presents the 
most remarkable variation in anatomy and habits. As an 
example of this, the species of the South American genus Am- 
phisbena may be compared with the Old World monitors. In the 
former we have limbless, worm-like, half-blind creatures, which 
timidly burrow away from the light in mouldy ground or decay- 
ing trees. These lowly and helpless forms of reptile life would 
appeal to the popular mind as more distinctly removed in classifi- 
cation from the monitors than the latter are removed from a 
bright-eyed and highly-colored snake. But those worm-like 
creatures, and the bold, dashing monitors, with their great size, 
and powerful limbs and claws, all belong to the Order of Lizards. 
Thus we have in these forms a variation in anatomy and habits 
from feeble, insectivorous and burrowing creatures to those that 
run swiftly, and possess strength of jaw sufficient to crush the 
life out of the small mammals that constitute their food. There 
are 1,893 species of lizards, evincing many curious phases of form 
and color. 
The collection of lizards in the Reptile House of the Zoological 
Park has been made valuable and interesting only by the diligent 
and constant efforts that have been made to obtain representative 
species from various parts of the world. The larger lizards have 
been represented by such species as the Marine Iguana, Rhinoceros 
and Crested Iguana, four species of Monitors, the Frilled Lizard 
and the Gila Monster. The smaller species of particular interest 
in the Eastern Hemisphere have been represented by the African 
Chameleon, various Geckoes, the Giant Cyclodes, Mastigure, 
Green Lizard, Viviparous Lizard, Sand Lizard, the Blind “worm” 
and Sheltopusic. The collection from the Western Hemisphere 
has contained various species of Horned “Toads,” the lizards of 
the Western deserts, the Blue-Tailed Lizard, Six-Lined Lizard, 
Swifts of several species, the Anolis or American Chameleon, and 
the Glass “Snake.” With such a thorough representation of the 
Lacertilia constantly on hand, the writer has had exceptional 
