631 



SAURIA. 



SAURIA. 



pisiform bone fitted against the lower part of the ulna. In the lower 

 row are five small bones, disposed in a curve and answering to the 

 five metatarsal bones, and a ninth, placed between the two large bones 

 of the first row, and the first, second, third, and fourth of the second 

 row. The metacarpah of the thumb and little finger are rather shorter 

 than those of the other three fingers. The number of phalanges 

 amounts to two for the thumb, three for the fore finger, four for the 

 mindle finger, five for the ring finger, and three for the little finger. 

 The tarsus, like that of the orocodile, has only four bones. In the 

 first row are two : 1, a tibial bone, which extends also partially under 

 the fibula, and presents a facet to it; it is irregularly rectangular, 

 wider than it is long, thick on its internal border, and presenting in 

 its profile some relationship to the astragalus of a Ruminant ; 2, a 

 fibular bone, smaller and soon uniting itself into a single piece with 

 the preceding, on the same plane with which it is. In the second row 

 are also two ; one larger, triangular on it? anterior surface, and stouter 

 backwards, where it articulates with the two of the first row, and 

 supports the metatarsals of the fourth and fifth toes ; the second, 

 smaller, placed between the preceding and the metatarsals of the 

 third and second toes. This last also slightly touches upon the 

 astragalus, which only supports the metatarsal of the great toe. The 

 first four metatarsals are slender and nearly straight ; they go on 

 elongating to the fourth ; the fifth is short, widended, and recurved 

 on its upper head towards the great bone of the second row, to which 

 it is articulated by the side. The great toe has two phalanges ; the 

 second toe, three ; the third, four ; the fourth, five. It is this, which 

 is the longest, that gives to the foot that elongated and unequal form 

 which characterises it in the lizards. The fifth, which is nearly as 

 short as the great toe, has, like the third, four phalanges. Cuvier 

 remarks that in the ordinary position of the hind feet of the Saurians, 

 that is, with the toes directed backwards, the tibia and great toe are 

 at the external border of the foot, and the little toe is at the internal 

 border. The ungueal phalanges of all the feet are trenchant, arched, 

 and pointed. This description, observes Cuvier, allowing for some 

 differences in proportion, answers for all the sub-genera which have 

 well-developed feet, with the exception of the Chameleons alone and 

 some peculiarities relative to the toes in certain Qeckos ; and even in 

 the Chameleon it is in the proportion of the bones of the carpus and 

 tarsus, rather than in their number and arrangement, that the differ- 

 ence appears. The mode in which the bones of the feet are grouped 

 in the chameleon is in an inverse manner, that is, the great and little 

 toes of all the feet together and directed inwards, and the three others 

 also together and directed outwards. [CHAMELEONS.] 



The other parta of the organisation of the Saurians will be found 

 in detail, where necessary, under REPTILES and the different articles 

 relating to families and genera. We shall here only observe that 

 their heart, like that of the Tortoises, is composed of two auricles and 

 one ventricle, which is sometimes divided by imperfect partitions. 

 Their ribs are moveable, and can be raised or depressed for the 

 purposes of respiration. Their lung extends more or less towards 

 the hind part of the body, and often penetrates into the abdomen, 

 whose transverse muscles glide under the ribs and even towards the 

 neck to embrace it. Their generation, with few exceptions (Zootoca, 

 for instance), is oviparous, and the eggs have a more or less hard shell. 

 In some (Chameleon, for instance) it is a mere tough calcareous skin, 

 and this is its general condition. The coitus is complete, and effected 

 sometimes by means of two intromittent organs and sometimes by 

 means of one only. The young come into existence in the same form 

 which they retain through life. The toes are armed with nails, with 

 very few exceptions, and the skin is either covered with scales more 

 or less serrated, or at least with small scaly grains. All have a tail 

 more or less long, nearly always thick at the base. The greatest 

 number have four feet, some two only, and a few mere rudiments not 

 apparent externally. 



The following is a synopsis of the families of the flauria, adopted 

 by Dr. J. E. Gray in his ' Catalogue of the Specimens of Lizards in 

 the British Museum.' The genera and species of the Lacertinidte are 

 given, the other largo families are described under their proper 

 names : 



Order I. LIZARDS, finura. 



Mouth not dilatable, jaws toothed, the lower jaw-bones being united 

 by a bony suture in front. Eye generally with distinct eyelids ; drum 

 ut the ear generally distinct. Limbs four, distinct, rarely in such a 

 rudimentary state as to be hidden under the skin. Toes clawed. Body 

 elongate, rounded, covered with imbricated or granular scales ; ribs 

 distinct, mobile, and with a distinct sternum. Tail elongate, tapering, 

 rarely prehensile, generally covered with whorls of scales. Egg with 

 hard skin. The young not undergoing any metamorphosis. 



Sub-Order I. Leptoyloisce. 

 Tongue flat, elongate, and bifid. 



Tribe I. Cydotaura. 



Scales of the belly square, in cross bands, of the back and tail 

 rhombic and imbricate, or circular and subgranular. Tongue elongate, 

 flattened, free, nicked, or with two elongate cylindrical horny tips. 

 Eyes diurnal, with two valvular lids. Feet for walking ; toes unequal, 

 compressed. 



a. Head with small many-sided shields. Tongue sheathed at 



the base. 



1 Monitoridce. Head-shields flattish, scales small. Inhabit the 

 Old World and Australia. [MoNlTORlDA] 



2. Helodermidce. Head-shields and scales of body convex, tuber- 

 cular. Teeth with a groove behind. Inhabit the New World. 



o. Head with large regular shields, 

 the base. 



Tongue mostly free at 



* Sides flattish, covered with small often granular scales. 



3. Teidce. Supra-orbital plate horny. Teeth solid, rooted. Scales 

 small, granular, often with large plates. Inhabit the New World. 

 [TEI0-E.] 



4. Lacertinidce. Head pyramidical, covered with regular many-sided 

 shields ; supra-orbital plate rigid. Throat scaly, often with a cross 

 fold in front, and a collar of larger scales behind. Tongue elongate, 

 flat, free at the base, exsertile, long-forked. Teeth hollow, rooted. 

 Scales granular or rhombic, keeled. Sides flat, covered with small 

 granular scales. The species inhabit the Old or Eastern World and 

 Australasia. 



Synopsis of the Genera. 



I. Nostril erect, in the lower hinder angle of the nasal shield, just 

 above the labial shield, with one or two shields behind it. Eyelid 

 distinct. 

 A. Toes simple, compressed, not keeled nor fringed. Collar distinct. 



a. Scales granular or 6-sided, elongate. Posterior nasal shield 

 single. Collar distinct. 



Zootoca. Lower eyelid scaly, opaque. 



Z. vivipara, the Scaly Lizard, Common Lizard, and Nimble Lizard. 

 It is the Lacerta vivipara of Jacquin ; Lacerta ayilis, Pennant ; Zootoca 

 muralii, Gray. It has the ventral shields 8-rowed, the temple covered 

 with many-sided shields, with a large central shield ; its colour olive ; 

 back with a white-edged blackish streak on each side, and a centra' 

 black streak ; belly orange (in summer), black-spotted. 



This little lizard is a common inhabitant of heaths and banks in 

 most of the districts of England, extending even to Scotland. It is 

 also one of the few reptiles found in Ireland. Its range is very limited 

 on the Continent, and is not found in Italy or France. Its movements 

 are graceful and rapid, it comes out of its hiding place during the 

 warm parts of the day, from the early spring till autumn. It lives 

 upon insects, which it seizes with ita mouth. In this species the eggs 

 are retained in the oviduct until the young are ready to be hatched, 

 and they are thus produced alive. The young when brought forth 

 ore fully-formed, and capable of running about and taking their own 

 food. The usual length of this lizard when full grown is from 5J to 

 6J inches. 



Z. mwalii, the Tiliquesta, is a native of the south of Europe. 



Z. oxycephala, the Long-Headed Lizard, is a species brought by 

 Mr. Webb from either Spain or Madeira. 



X. Taurica, a native of the Crimea, Morea, Corfu, and Sicily. 



Z. tceniotata, the Striped Lizard, a native of South Africa. 



Z. JJerliana, a native of Australia. 



Z. Galloti, Madeira. 



o. Scales granular or 6-sided, elongate. Posterior nasal shields 2, 

 small, one above the other. Collar distinct. 



Lacerta. Lower eyelid opaque. Chin-fold distinct. Abdomina 

 shields narrowed behind. 



L. agilis, the Sand-Lizard. It is the L, stirpium of Milne-Edwards 

 and others. The upper hinder nasal small, rather in front of the 

 larger lower one; scales of the temple small, unequal, irregularly 

 many-sided, often with a larger central one ; throat fold indistinct, 

 brown, spotted or eyed with black ; sides green, brown-eyed, beneath 

 white. This species is a native of Great Britain, and is especially 

 abundant in the neighbourhood of Poole in Dorsetshire. Its general 

 abode is on sandy heaths, where, from the rapidity of its movements, 

 it is often mistaken for some form of snake. On account of the 

 rapid locomotion it is not often caught. It does not bear confine- 

 ment, but pines away and dies. Wheu caught it often bites, but 

 no ill-consequences are the result. The female lays her eggs to tho 

 number of 12 or 14 in hollows in the sand, which she excavates 

 for the purpose. They are subsequently hatched by the heat of the 

 sun. The eggs appear to be laid a considerable time before they are 

 hatched. In this respect this species differs very much from the 

 common lizard, which always brings forth her young alive. This 

 lizard is larger than the Zootoca vivipara, as those of average size 

 measure about 7 inches in length. 



L. nridis, the Green Lizard, has the scales of the temple inequi- 

 lateral, many-sided, with a central larger one ; back granular, oblong, 

 with shelving sides ; throat-fold distinct. This species is a native of 

 Guernsey and Jersey, and also of the south of Europe. It is much 

 more readily caught than the last species, and never attempts to bite. 

 It may bo readily tamed and taught to come to the hand for food. 

 It will lie coiled in the two hands, and never attempt to escape. 



L. ocellata and L, lavis, both natives of the south of Europe, are 

 the only other species of the typical genus Lacerta. 



