LIZARDS 63 



above, paler on the sides, with a broad dark streak running 

 from behind the eye to the back of the head ; the under- 

 surfaces are often brick red. 



Although not very rapid in its movements, it is an 

 extremely active lizard, climbing with the greatest facility 

 to the top of trees. When alarmed I have often observed 

 its locomotion to be, for short distances, bipedal ; the 

 tail, however, is not raised any distance from the ground, 

 as is the case in Chlamydosaurus. 



The Mastigures, genus Uromastix, live in the desert 

 regions of North Africa and South-Western Asia, where 

 they construct deep burrows in the sand, into which they 

 retreat at night and hibernate during the winter months. 

 They are characterized by a very flattened body, a small, 

 rounded head, and a much swollen tail, which is covered 

 with whorls of large spines. 



The commonest species, U. acanthinurus and U. spinipes, 

 of North Africa, and U. hardwickii of Northern India, the 

 two former attaining a length of about fifteen inches, are 

 annually imported to Europe in large numbers, and may 

 be purchased for a few shillings. The African species may 

 be distinguished from the Indian one by the whorls of 

 the spinose scales, not being separated from one another 

 by small granular scales, as in the case of the latter. 



Although occasionally biting, the majority make use 

 of their tail as a means of defence, freshly captured speci- 

 mens lashing vigorously from right to left with this organ, 

 the spines, at least in the case of the African species, being 

 sharp enough to draw blood from the hand in which the 

 lizard is held. 



Captive specimens, like the majority of desert forms. 



