82 REPTILIA. 



FAMILY IV. GECKOTIDA. 



Form heavy ; aspect hideous ; five toes widened through 

 a part or through the whole of their length, so as to allow of 

 their sustaining themselves, like flies, with the feet up ; in 

 most the nails are retractile ; eyes large, pupil contracting on 

 the approach of light; life nocturnal. One genus, Gecko, 

 Baud. 



FAMILY V. CHAM^ELEONIDA. 



The back, if it may be so expressed, trenchant; skin gra- 

 nulated ; five toes on each foot, divided into two bundles op- 

 posable to each other ; tail prehensile ; tongue issuing from 

 the mouth in the form of a worm ; an enormous development 

 of the lungs, which enables the animal to change colour and 

 even renders it, when the lungs are full, nearly transparent ; 

 live upon insects. One genus, Chamcelio. 



FAMILY VI. SCINCOIDEA. 



Feet short ; tongue not extensible ; scales equal and imbri- 

 cated upon the body and tail. 



GENUS I. SEPS, Daud. 



Body much elongated ; feet small ; lungs unequal. 



GENUS II. BIPES, Lacep. 



Fore feet entirely wanting ; the hind feet alone visible ; 

 rudiment of a shoulder beneath the skin. 



GENUS III. CHIROTES, Cuv. 



No hind feet ; fore feet alone visible. 







ORDER III. OPHIDIA. 



Body extremely elongated, entirely without limbs, moving 

 itself by means of the folds it makes while in contact with 

 the ground ; vertebral column very movable, composed of a 

 vast number of vertebrae supporting themselves ; a great 



