Zoological Society. 65 



economy of this Saurian, which I now submit to the Zoological 

 Society. 



The following memoir from the pen of my friend was communi- 

 cated to me in the beginning of the year 1846 ; the animal, though 

 spoken of by the name Iguana, is the identical specimen above de- 

 scribed, and which Mr. Hill had noticed to differ from /. tubercu- 

 lata by its lacking the dentelations on the gular pouch. 



** Our Iguana is considered to be entirely herbivorous. It is found 

 only in particular parts of the island. The low limestone chain of 

 hills, along the shore from Kingston Harbour and Goat Island, on 

 to its continuation in Vere, is its ordinary haunt ; and it is not un- 

 frequently taken in the plains between those sea-coast hills and the 

 more inland mountains, being found in hollow trees in the pastures, 

 where they congregate, several of them together. 



" The labourers in clearing and burning off some of the savannas 

 between Spanish-town and Passage-fort the other day (March 1844), 

 surprised in a hollow bastard- cedar tree {Guazuma ulmifolia) some 

 five Iguanas of the largest size. The one I sketched measured forty- 

 five inches long, and it was said not to have been the largest. It 

 was extremely fat and muscular, A russet- green, here and there 

 graduating into slaty-blue, is the general colour of the body and 

 limbs ; some oblique lines of dark olive-green are traceable on the 

 shoulders, and three broad dark triangular patches descend from the 

 dentelations of the back down to the belly, with zigzag spots of 

 dark olive-brown dispersed about. At very regular intervals, the 

 tail is alternately of a lighter and darker olive-green. A bluish- 

 green colour, more decided than on the body, prevails in the dente- 

 lations of the back, and on the legs 



" Succulent herbs, growing in the forests of the limestone hills I 

 have referred to, supply food for the Iguana. These hills, however, 

 are so little suited for this sort of vegetation, that hardly anything 

 more than aromatic and resinous trees and balsamic plants grow 

 there. The lignum-vitse (Guaiacum), the Acacia nilotica, and cactoid 

 plants, — particularly the torch and melon thistles (Cactus repandus et 

 peruvianus, et Cactus mehcactus) ,— the lantana, and the varronia, 

 with many balmy mallows (Sida althceifolia, urens^ capillaris, et vis- 

 cosa), and the vervain (Stachytarpheta) , seem to comprise almost the 

 whole catalogue of trees, shrubs and herbs. These hills are, how- 

 ever, inhabited by several domestic animals, which have run wild. 

 Goats and hogs, derived from the common domestic breeds, have 

 become feral ; and even the common domestic poultry, cocks and 

 hens, have taken to the woods as jungle-fowl, with the pintado. 

 Quails and doves find here a safe breeding-place. These hills are 

 also the special resort of the musteline thrush, the wood-thrush of 

 the North Americans, which more than divides with the mocking- 

 bird the credit of a songster. It has a louder and more brilliant 

 note, though its song be greatly less varied and melodious. The 

 fruit of the torch-thistle seems the great attraction of the wood- 

 thrush, but it is not easy to perceive the resource of the granivorous 

 birds. The aromatic herbs suit the wild goats; but the hogs caa 



Ann. ^ Mag. N, Hist. Ser. 2. Vol. iv. 5 



