486 SAURIANS. 



The FORKED-NOSED CHAMELEON, C. lifidus, (Lat. divided 

 into two parts,) is a very singular species, found in the Moluccas, 

 India and Australia, having the top of the head flat, and the 

 snout prolonged into two distinct branohes. 



The WARTY CHAMELEON, C. verrucosus, (Lat. warty,) is one 

 of the largest species, averaging twenty inches in' its total length. 

 It is a native of Madagascar. 



THIRD FAMILY. Geckotidce. The GECKOS. 



The Geckos are a numerous family, divided by Cuvier into 

 seven sections, according to the structure of the toes, but bear- 

 ing a strong resemblance to each other in their general charac- 

 ters, and are distinguished for their nocturnal habits. Their 

 flattened form and broad head give them a peculiarly disagree- 

 able appearance, which is increased by their sombre and rather 

 toad-like hue : whence they have been subjected to the unfounded 

 imputation of being venomous creatures, producing, by their 

 touch, malignant disorders of the skin. Their limbs are short 

 and the toes, which are nearly of equal size, are flattened and 

 expanded on their under surface, either throughout the whole or 

 a greater part of their length ; the dilated parts, or the disks, are 

 often marked with regular but minute plates, so ranged as to pro- 

 duce a striated surface, and acting as suckers. The nails are 

 sharp, hooked, and retractile, like those of a cat, so that their 

 points may not become worn or blunted. The tongue is fleshy 

 and broad, but short and capable of little protrusion, and notched 

 at the tip, which alone is free. The eyes are large and full, 

 with extremely small eye-lids, which, as in the Chameleon, form 

 only a single membrane, leaving, however, a large aperture, and 

 exposing the nictitating membrane. The pupil, as in the cat 

 and other nocturnal animsils, is linear when undilated, and con- 

 tracts under the influence of light. 



The orifices of the ears are placed on the sides of the head, 

 the tympanum being considerably below the surface. The 

 mouth is extremely wide ; the teeth are small, uniform, and im- 

 planted along the inner margin of the jaws ; the nostrils are 

 placed laterally. 



The skin is more or less covered with granulations or horny 

 tubercles; and in some species, it is extended along the sides 

 and limbs into a kind of marginal fringe. 



The voice of these reptiles is a sort of clucking cry, of which 

 the term GECKO, uttered in a shrill tone, is an imitation. 



Their food consists of insects and caterpillars, which they 



