CONTENTS 



PAGE 



Preface . ...... v 



List of Text-figures xiii 



List of Plates xv 



SECTION I 

 Reptiles 



By Richard Lydekker 



CHAPTER I 

 General Characters 



Reptiles in general. Definition of reptiles. Variety of forms. Ex- 

 tremes of size. Some leading structural features of the class. 



CHAPTER II 

 Pedigrees and Relationships 15 



Reptiles and their relationship to warm-blooded Vertebrates ; the origin 

 of reptiles. The Theromorpha and their relation to the Mammalia: 

 the Ornithomorpha and their relation to birds. The tuatera : croco- 

 diles and their ancestry: tortoises and turtles: flying reptiles: 

 dinosaurs : snakes and lizards : geological history : plesiosaurs and 

 ichthyosaurs : numerical strength. 



CHAPTER III 

 Haunts and Habitats 32 



The haunts of reptiles in past times and at the present day. The 

 sea-iguana. Dearth of reptiles in polar and sub-polar regions. 

 Haunts of tortoises and snakes. Tree-dwellers. Burrowers. 

 Island forms. Geographical distribution, difficulties of interpre- 

 tation. Relation to temperature, moisture, etc. Hibernation and 

 aestivation. 



