REPTILES. 



847 



Trionyx ferox. Upper shield destitute of scales, but in 

 their stead covered by a coreaceous skin and near each ex- 

 tremity provided with hard tubercles ; lips fleshy, elongated 

 into a cylindrical tube; feet with five toes, only three of 

 which are armed with uails. 



ORDER II. SAURIA. 



Body elongated, invested with scales, generally furnished 

 with four feet ; toes armed with claws, at least in part ; tail 

 more or less long ; mouth generally with uumerous teeth. 



FAMILY I. CROCODILID./E. 



Body elongated, covered with square scales, of which the 

 upper and under lire tne arrest, and those above, raised into 

 R ridge or corin.i in the middle ; provided with four feet, with 

 live toes before, and five behind, the three interior armed with 

 nails, and all of them more or less united by membranes ; 

 cadi jaw provided with a single row of acute teeth ; tongue 

 fleshy, depressed, and almost entirely attached to the lower 

 ; aw ; tail compressed, and provided above with a strongly 

 dentated crest. 



The whole animals of this family are Inrge, their bodies are 

 covered with square, or oblong scales, of which those above 

 form elevated lines, which are raised into a double crest on 

 the tail. Their heads are long in proportion to the body, and 

 ponderous ; their jaws are articulated behind the cranium. 

 Their nostrils form an elongated canal, which has its origin in 

 the throat, and terminates at the point of the muzzle, where 

 it is provided with a semilunar orifice, which it can open or 

 shut at pleasure. Their eyes are furnished with three eye. 

 lids ; the exterior ear is very small and can be closed at the 

 will of the animal, by means of two fleshy coverings; underthe 

 throat there are two glands which secret a musky substance, 

 through small orifices. The crocodiles are the only family of 

 this order which are destitute of clavicles, or collar bones ( 

 but their coracoid apophysis is attached to the sternum, as in 

 all the others. The eggs of crocodiles are as large as those of 

 a goose, and are protected by a hard shelly covering. The 

 females deposit their eggs in sand, where they are hatched by 

 the heat of the sun, and are watched by the females, who take 

 charge of the young for some months after they are called 

 into beinar. 



Gaviala. Muzzle narrow, cylindrical and greatly elong- 

 ated ; teetii nearly of equal dimensions ; hind legs dentated 

 oa the external mnrein ; toes palmated to the claws. 



Simula Gangetica, the Gangetic Crocodile. PI. 78. f. 6. 

 Muzzle much elongated, narrow, as loug- as the head ; upper 

 jaw provided with twenty eight teeth on each side, and the 

 lower jaw with twenty five; neck furnished with two cari- 

 nated plates ; eyes very large, behind each a perforation in 

 the cranium, which is easily felt through the skin. Grows 

 from twelve to eighteen feet in length. Inhabits the rivers of 

 India, and is very numerous in the Ganges. 



Crocodilus. Muzzle narrow, cylindrical, and greatly elon- 

 gated ; teeth of nearly equal dimensions ; hind legs dentated 

 and feet palmated ; the fourth tooth in the lower jaw on each 

 side lying in a lng groove in the upper jaw. 



Crocodilus vulgaris, the Common Crocodile. PI. 78. f. 5. Back 

 and superior portion of the body of a blackish brown colour, 

 and the lower part of the sides and abdomen yellowish white ; 

 upper parts of the legs and sides varied with deep yellow, 

 tinged in some parts with dull bluish green ; the fourth tooth 

 on both sides of the lower jaw entering into a groove in the 

 upper jaw ; back provided with six rows of square carinated 

 plates of nearly equal dimensions ; the neck having six plates, 

 and the tail furnished with two lateral crested processes. 

 This animal grows to the great size of from twenty to thirty 

 feet in length. Egg of Croo-dile,pl.75,f.l2. See article. Crocodile 



Alligator. Muzzle broad and obtuse, provided with une- 

 qual tnetn, the fourth tooth on each side of the lower jaw 

 sheathed in a cavity in the upper one when the mouth is shut; 

 feet semi-palmated, and furnished with dentations 



Alligator sclerops, the Common Alligator. PI. 78. f 7. 

 Of a greenish brown colour above, irregularly marbled with 

 green ; the lower parts of the sides and abdomen of a pale 

 yellow colour ; the muzzle flat, and somewhat narrower than 

 the head, with a transverse ridge uniting in front of the pro- 

 jecting margin of its orbits; jaws furnished with nineteen 

 teeth on each side ; and the neck provided with four rows of 

 strong plates. Grows from eighteen to twenty feet in length 

 Inhabits Guiana and Brazil. See article Alligator. 



FAMILY II. LACERTINID^. 



The members of this family are characterised by a slender 

 extensible tongue, terminating in two long filamentary pro- 

 ces*es, like the viper. Their bodies are elongated, and their 

 motions rapid. All their feet are provided with five toes, 

 armed with nails, which are separate and unequal, particu- 

 larly those on the hind feet. Under the abdomen and around 

 the tail, their scales are disposed ill transverse and parallel 

 bands. Their tympanum is on a level with the head ; the 

 eyes are protected by a produced skin, which is longitudinally 

 eleft, and which shuts by a sphincter. Underthe anterior angle 

 there is a rudimentary third eyelid. Their false ribs do not 

 form a romplete circle. 



Monit'ir. Head, abdomen, and tail provided with small 



mbricated scales; tail laterally compressed ; both jaws arm ;-d 

 with teeth, but destitute of any on the palate. 



This genus is divided into sections. 1. With a compressed 

 and cafinated tail. 2. Tail nearly round, with a dentated 

 ridge above. 3. Tail nearly round without a carinated ridge 

 above. 



Uf the last section is the land Monitor, which inhabits 

 Egypt, and is trained by the jugglers of Cairo, to perform 

 ;ncks. they having previously extracted their teeth. 



Draccfnu. Teeth conical, and head furnished witli angular 

 alates; back with large carinated scales, which form urefrU 

 n the tail ; scales under the neck small ; those on the abdo- 

 men and tail rectangular; rail rounded at the base, and com- 

 pressed near the end. 



Dracaena Guianentit. PI. 78. f. 10. Body reddi h brown, 

 >lended with green. From four to six feet long. Inhabits 

 Guiana. Its flesh is eaten by the natives. 



There are two sections of this genus, viz. 1. Withacari- 

 lated tail. 2. With the tail smooth and compressed towards 

 ;he point. 



Teius. Teeth notched, the whole scales of the back smooth 

 and small, under the thighs are a series of indistinct pores ; 

 scales of the abdomen longer than broad ; tail more or less 

 ompressed, carinated or smooth. 



There are two sections of this genus. 1. Tail carinated. 

 2. Tail smooth; compressed towards the point. 



Teius Tegmxin, the Teguixiu Lizard. PI. 78. f. 15. Body 

 jlack, -potted with blue above, and of a bluish hue below 

 ;;iil blended with black and blue. Nearly six feet long. In- 

 labits Brazil. 



Ainevia. Head of a pyramidal form ; the scales on the 

 throat small ; abdomen and tail covered with transverse row 

 f square scales, those on the belly boarder than long ; tail 

 cylindrical throughout. 



Amevia lemniscata, the Striped Amevia. PI. 78. f. 11. 

 Back furnished with nine white longitudinal lines, as also 

 upon the sides ; tail long, blue on the upper parts ; thighs 

 spotted with white dorsal lines furcated at the head. Inhabits 

 Africa. 



Lacerta. Bone of the cranium projected on the orbits and 

 temples ; palate provided with two rows of teeth ; under 

 side of the neck with a collar formed by a transverse row of 

 minute scales ; separated from the abdominal ones by a seriei 

 of still smaller dimensions. 



Takydromut. Body and tail much elongated; back pro- 

 vided with several series of square scales; thighs furnished 

 with pores ; anal region having two vesicles. 



FAMILY III. IGUANID*. 



Lizard shaped ; with a thick, fleshy, and not extensib'e 

 tongue, which is notched at the point. 



Cordylus. Head simple; destitute of palatine teeth ; ab- 

 domen and back covered with numerous transverse series of 

 large scales, those on the tail forming sp'nous circles; thighs 

 with a series of large pores. 



Stellio. Head inflated behind ; destitute of palatine teeth; 

 with a series of spines around the ears; body covered with 

 acute scales; spines of the tail of medium size ; thighs with- 

 out pores. 



Amblyrhynchus. Head short, truncated, tuberculate, ven- 

 trical scale depressed ; muzzle rounded ; teeth numerous and 

 trilobate ; nostrils placed about half an inch above the mouth; 

 legs strong ; claws robust, and much hooked ; twenty four 

 femoral pores 011 each side. 



Agama. With a tumid head ; the skin of the throat ample 

 and loose, transversely plicated, and adapted for inflation ; 

 body oblong, more or less robust, wholly covered with cari- 

 nated scales, produced into points, which feel rough to tha 

 touch in different parts of the body, especially above the ears. 



Agama muricata, the Muricated Agama. PI. 78. f.S. Body 

 gray, with rows of large spinous scales set in transverse bands 

 upon the back and tail ; throat capable of inflation, and pro 

 vided with scales elongated into points, which form a kind of 

 beard on the flank and behind. 



Trapelus. Head tumid; scales small and destitute of 

 spines. 



The only species of this genus is the Egyptian Trapelus, 

 which has the property of changing the colour of its skin, ill 

 a still more remarkable degree than the chameleon. 



Calotes. Scales of the body imbricated, with acute margins, 

 those on the middle of the back rising into a crest ; behind 

 the ears it is furnished with similar scales. Upwards of a foot 

 long. Inhabits New South Wales. 



Lophyrus. Body covered with a shagreened skin ; crest 

 of the back prolonged upon the tail, which is compressed. 



Basilicus. Destitute of palatine teeth ; teeth compressed 

 without notches; skin of the throat ample, but not forming 

 a pouch ; crests margined, scaly, and supported by lengthen u 

 spring apophyses of the vertebra, extending on the back, 

 and part of the tail at least ; -.cales of the abdomen and tail 

 small and square. 



Jinsilicus mitratus, the Mitred Basilisk. Fl. 78. f. 9. Back 

 provided with a crest, and another on the upper half of the 

 tail, and a third situate on the occiput ; tail long and acute ; 

 from two to three feet long. Inhabits Brazil. The HeOi is 

 eatable. 



There are only two species of this genus known, that above 

 described, and the Aboyna basilisk ; they are disagreeab e 

 looking animals, but are entirely destitute of the deadly pro- 

 perties attributed by the ancients to the fabulous animal of 

 that ua:ne. See article Basilisk. 



