uS LIZARDS. 



.species, which may be conveniently termed agamoids, from the name of the typical 

 genus. Agreeing with tlie preceding families in the characters of the tongue, and 

 in the absence of bony plates beneath the scales, the agamoids resemble the scale- 

 foots in the characters of their collar-bones ; but are distinguished from all their 

 allies in having teeth of the acrodont type, that is to say, situated on the very 

 summit of the edges of the jaws. While the head is covered with small scales, 

 the small eyes have circular pupils, and well-developed movable eyelids; and the 

 scales on the back are of the normal overlapping type. The thick tongue is either 

 completely attached or only slightly free in front, and. at most, has but a very 



i* i/ o v / 



shallow notch in its tip. The teeth may be generally divided into three series, 

 comparable as regards position with the incisors, tusks, and molars of mammals ; 

 the latter being more or less compressed, and frequently furnished with three cusps, 

 while the tusks, which may be one or two in number on each side, are of relatively 

 large size in most cases, although occasionally absent. The fore-limbs are always 

 well developed, and, except in one genus, live-toed. The absence of large 

 .symmetrical horny shields, both on the head and under-parts, is a noteworthy 

 character of these lizards, many of which develop, either in the males or in both 

 sexes, ornamental appendages, such as crests or pouches. As a rule, the tail is 

 long and not brittle, but in only one genus is it prehensile, although in another it 

 can be curled up at the extremity. The shape of the body is very variable in the 

 different genera, the terrestrial forms being generally depressed, while those that 

 are arboreal in their habits are compressed. Although the majority of the species 

 are insectivorous, some subsist on leaves and fruits, while others prefer a mixed 

 diet; but neither the nature of their habitat nor their food serve to classify the 

 agamoids, many of the genera of which are very difficult to distinguish. The 

 majority of the species appear to lay eggs, only the members of a single genus 

 being reported to give birth to living young. As regards distribution, agamoids 

 are found from the south of Europe to the Cape, and eastwards as far as China, 

 the Malayan Islands, Australia, and Oceania, but are unknown in New Zealand and 

 Madagascar. Both as regards genera arid species, their headquarters is, however, 

 the Oriental region : Africa possessing only three genera, of which one is confined 

 to the northern part of the continent, while but four species enter South-Eastern 

 Europe. 



Commonly known as flying dragons, the members of the first 

 genus of the family are elegant and harmless little creatures to 

 whom such a title seems inappropriate, and we therefore prefer to substitute the 

 name of flying lizards more especially as we have applied the former appellation 

 to the extinct pterodactyles. These flying lizards, which are represented by 

 twenty-one species, ranging over the greater part of the Oriental region, are at 

 once distinguished from all their kindred by the depressed body being provided 

 with a large wing -like- membranous expansion, supported by the elongated 

 extremities of the six or seven hinder ribs, and capable of being folded up like 

 a fan. The throat is furnished with a large membranous expansion, on the sides 

 of which are i smaller pair: and the tail is long and whip - like. The best 

 known of the species is the Malay flying lizard (l)ntco rul<uiK), which is a rather 

 common form, and belongs to a group characterised by the nostrils being lateral 



