SAORA'S DIPLOQLOS8U8, OR DOVBLR-TONGl'BD Ll/.M;l>. 67 



ii<> trace of tin- im.Ttsl V. On tin- sides of the head, tin- mottling* of gimy and black aiv 

 ver\ Uild. ami 11. mi. 1 tin- neck runs a collar of black. This mark, however, may have bwn 

 ran 1 by tin stupi'dity of the capto] vhoWM :.:..!...; .r !.....:.-,.: i- .1,^ ..f :,',. i.-j.',!. 

 that he tied a string round its n.-. k t<> funn a safe handle with which to carry it. 



Mr. Hell, in his volume on reptiles, states that tin- tail Is obtuse, but that it rather varied 

 in I'-iu'fu. in -'in.- cases being not more than half the length of the body, while in others 

 it i.earh equals the head and Ixxiy together. In my own specimen, the tail is by no means 

 :! 'tuse, but \ei-y sl.-nder and well jointed, and can be so tightly curled at ita extremity lui not 

 to be rvmi>\uble without damage to the creature. While held in the hand, it generally ti-i . 

 tli<- tip "f tln> tail firmly round one of the fingers, not in a spiral position, but so an t<> make 

 one complete circle, the extremity of the tail just touching the spot when- the drrle com- 

 mences I'hc total length of this sjecimen i i h& jgtiMl > two- foot rule, touanls 

 \\ hi'-h I have just succeeded in coaxing it by a judicious arrangement of light and shade, and 

 an occasional t>'i-h with the finp-r. is thirteen inches and a half. The body and head occupy 



j.r.-.-l-'-U ^1 i' , ... ... ;,-,,! t!,,. |, ; h ,.,.., - ,. . . :, :;, -,.- ;,|] i |..,|: .,['. _;i\.-!i 1 . 'he '.ill. Tli-- - | .1 



\\ hen- the liody ends and the tail begins is very evident, the diameter of the Imdy diminishing 

 slightly but suddenly. 



Tin: family of the Skinks contains so many interesting creatun-s. that it is difficult to make 

 a satisfactory selection, and iiniM>ssilile to avoid .' .. :..: v ,.:,.-. i' \ f, .1 ; mbf 

 so many species without even a cursory notice. Befon-, however, proceeding to the next 

 family, we must give a short notice of one or two rather conspicuous species. 



The first is the SI-INK-HACKKI> LI/.VKI> of New Guinea (TribolonMtu nonce guinea), a very 

 remarkable creature, notable for the singular formation of the scales which cover the backhand 

 in allusion to which the creature ha.s l>een placed under the p-neric name Tribolonotus. This 

 loin: word is of Greek origin. Mirnifyir.g culthmp-backed calthrops being certain horrible 

 in-ii uinents thrown on the ground to check the advance of cavalry, and consisting of four inm 

 -1 ikes, set round a ball in such a manner, that when flung on the gronnd, three pointa rent on 

 the earth, and the other pmjWts ]>er]>eiidicularly into the air. 



Though really harmless, the ^pine-backed Lizard is a most formidable looking creature, 

 the whole of the back lieing covered with long and sharply pointed spikes, formed by a modi- 

 ii.-aiion of the scales, that project boldly in all directions, and fully justify the generic- name. 

 Kven on the tail the scales, which are arranged in whorls, are long, pointed, and project 

 over each other, so as to give a very formidable aspect to this member. Kven the head is 

 armed with these pointed scales, which become larger and larger as they approach the neck. 

 The color of this Lizard is brown above, and grayish-white below. 



ANOTHER notable member of this family is the well-known GALLIWASP (Ccletlu* 

 ooctduu-s). 



This reptile is a native of the West Indian Islands, and is very common in Jamaica, when 

 it is held in great, but groundless dread, by the inhabitants, and especially by the negroes. 



nerally haunts damp situations, and is mostly found in marshy lands, near wat 

 hi. Men under rocks where moisture is retained by the nature of the ground, It is tln.u-ht 

 that when the Galliwasp is irritated, its bite is as venomous as that of a poisonous snake, and 

 causes immediate death. On account of the dread in which it is held, the negroes call it by 

 the name of Mabouya, in common with the reptile which has already been described on 

 page 62. 



The color of the Galliwasp is brown of various ton.-s. diversified with cross bands of black- 

 ish brown. It Ls about one foot in length, There are several species belonging to this genus, 

 all being found in Jamaica. 



THE last example of the Skinks which can be mentioned in these pages is SAORA'S DIPLO- 



OLO88C8, or DOUBLK-TOHOC K I ' L I / \ RD. 



This reptile is a native of Cuba, and is found in localities where the air is cool, and 



