564 



The Living Animals of the World 



eyes, by way of compensation, being 

 covered by transparent horny plates, 

 which impart to these creatures that 

 peculiar stony stare which un- 

 doubtedly constitutes one of the 

 most repulsive features of their tribe. 

 There are, however, a few exceptional 

 lizards devoid of eyelids, though these 

 species do not take a snake-like form. 



Lizards, while distributed through- 

 out temperate and tropical regions, 

 attain to the zenith of their repre- 

 sentation in size, number, and variety 

 of form and colour in tropical and 

 sub-tropical countries. The majority 

 of species are essentially sun-wor- 

 shippers, and in temperate climates, 

 such as that of England, where they 

 are but sparsely represented, pass the 

 cheerless winter months in a state of 

 torpid hibernation. 



The first position among the 

 Lizard Tribe is usually accorded to 

 the GECKO FAMILY a group number- 

 ing 280 species, which present several 

 somewhat anomalous features and 

 characteristics. In the first place, in 

 contradistinction to the majority of 

 lizard forms, they are for the most 

 part nocturnal in their habits, and 

 have their eyes specially modified to 

 meet them. Geckos, as the exception 

 to the ordinary lizards previously 

 referred to, possess no eyelids, and 



the pupil of the eye, as seen in broad daylight, is mostly represented by a narrow vertical slit, 



like that of a cat or a nocturnal dog-fish. As the night approaches, however, the membranous 



diaphragm is retracted, displaying to view a symmetrically orbicular pupil of abnormal size 



and luminosity. Another 



prominent characteristic of 



the geckos is the peculiar 



modification of their feet, 



which in most instances are 



furnished with adhesive disks 



or pads, which enable these 



lizards to run with ease, after 



the manner of flies, on the 



smooth surface of a wall or 



window-pane, or even along 



the ceiling. It is further 



noteworthy of the geckos that Photo by W. SavUU-ent, F.Z.S.} [MUford-on-Sea. 



they are the only lizards which BURMESE GECKO. 



pOSSeSS the power Of emitting Under-surface, showing minute hexagonal scales and peculiar structure of the adhesive toe-pads. 



Photo by W. Saville-Kent, F.Z.S.] [Milford-on-Sea. 



BURMESE GECKOS. 

 One of the largest members of the tribe, measuring 8 or 10 inches in length. 



