492 SAURIAN S. 



Phrynosoma, but as now restricted, it contains no American spe- 

 cies. The genus Phrynosoma is closely allied to the preceding. 

 It includes several species inhabiting Texas, Mexico and Califor- 

 nia. The short, squat, nearly orbicular body, the feeble limbs, 

 the long spines fringing the hind part of the head, and the 

 shorter ones scattered along the back, give the animal quite a 

 singular appearance. The species which are most numerous 

 are P. cornuta, (Lat. horned,) or spinosa, (Lat. spiny ;) P. or- 

 biculare, (Lat. orbicular.) They are named Tapayaxan, or Horned 

 Frog, from their fancied resemblance to the latter animal. These 

 species feed upon insects, which they take by stealing upon 

 them imperceptibly : they have the strange habit of feigning 

 death when handled or even approached. 



SECOND SUB-FAMILY, Acrodonta, without palatine teeth, and 

 the greater part without any external auditory orifice. All the 

 species are found in the old world. We barely notice some of 

 the more prominent genera. 



I. Draco, (a dragon,) including eight or nine species found in 

 India, Java, Sumatra, etc. 



These Lizards are of small size, and at once distinguished 

 from all other Saurians, by the possession of a pair of parachute 

 appendages, formed by the horizontal extension of the 'wings of 

 the sides, and resembling those of a butterfly. They are the 

 only living representatives of the fabulous dragons of olden timo, 

 celebrated in romance and fable. The " wings" can be folded up 

 or expanded at will, but they can not be made to strike the air, 

 and raise the animal after the manner of a bird or bat ; they, 

 however assist this little dragon, only a few inches in length, in 

 fluttering from branch to branch in search of insects, or when, 

 like the Pteromys, or Flying Squirrel, it shoots from tree to tree. 

 One of the most common species is the D. Daudini, of Bibron, 

 or D. volans, (Lat. flying,) of Gmelin, found in Java. 



II. Stellio, (Lat. a newt or stellion.) is a genus characterized 

 chiefly by having the tail encircled with rings of large scales 

 that are often spinous. It furnishes the only European repre- 

 sentative of the present family, viz. : S. vulgaris, the COMMON 

 STELLION. 



III. Grammatophora. (Gr. Grammata, letters ; phoreo, I carry,) 

 so called from a fancied resemblance of the tubercles of the 

 neck to letters. The back is without a crest, but has cross-rows 

 of large scales. Some have a fold across the throat. One spe- 

 cies is the G. muricata, the MURICATED LIZARD. 



