'DD 



THE FORKED-TONGUED LIZARD 



HA S often been miftaken for a young crocodile, or cayman, which 

 he greatly refembles in general, from having a large throat,, tu- 

 bercles on the back, and a flatted tail; colour deef) rufty yellow, mingled 

 with greenifh; but he has five toes to each foot, and they are not 

 mcmbraned, but very much feparated from each other; each having 

 alio a nail, Iharp and crooked. His tongue being divided, and extremely 

 mobile, gives him a refemblance to ferpents ; in the rapid motions of his 

 tail he refembles the whip-tail, by which name he has fometimes been 

 called. Inhabits South-America. Is capable of climbing trees, by its 

 toes being feparated ; is fend of water, but frequents the woods, and 

 there preys. Its flelh good to eat ; and its eggs fought after. 



THE IGUANA. 



TH E Iguana may be known at once by a large protuberant fkin 

 beneath his throat, and by a range of elevated fpines which runs 

 dewn his back, and part oi his throat, formed of very long and fharp 

 fcales, placed vertically ; higheft on the back, and gradually diminifhing 

 to the tail, which is round. The iguana is from five to feven feet long ; 

 the body about as thick as one's thigh : the fkin of the body, tail, and feet 

 is covered with fmall fcales ; thofe of the head extremely polifhed and 

 luftrous. The eyes are large, feem but half opened, except when the ani- 

 mal is angry ; then they appear large and fparkling ; the opening for the 

 ear is large : both jaws are full of very fharp teeth ; the bite is dangerous, 

 though not venomous, for it never lets loofe till killed, or violently llruck 

 on the nofe. The male has a fl<:in hanging under his throat, v;hich 

 reaches down to his breaft -, when difpleafed, he pufl^s it up like a bladder ; 

 he is one-third larger and ftronger than the female. The males are a(h- 

 coloured, or yellow, mingled with green, and the females are often a 

 very beautiful green. The toes are feparated j five to each foot ; nails 

 ftrong and hooked. In the front feet, the interior toe has but one joint, the 

 Paut V. No. 28, D d fecond 



