GIRDLED LIZARDS. 143 



broad as long, and the body remarkable for its extreme plumpness. Measuring a 

 little over 5 inches in length, this species is rather handsomely coloured. Above, 

 the ground-colour is greyish or brownish, with a more or less well-marked light 

 stripe down the back, and dark brown spots at the bases of the larger spines ; 

 while there are likewise markings of the same colour on the nape and head. 

 Beneath, the hue is yellowish, with or without a few small brown spots. In two 

 species of the genus (e.g. P. taurus) the tail does not exceed the head in length. 

 The common species is found locally in sandy districts both on the plains and 

 mountains, and is in some places abundant, although from its coloration frequently 

 escaping notice. In spite of its somewhat formidable appearance, it is a harmless 

 creature, not attempting to bite even when captured. Lacking the protrusive 

 tongue of the chamseleon, and being debarred by its clumsy form from running 

 fast, the horned lizard is unable to capture the swifter insects, and consequently 

 preys upon sand-haunting beetles, whose speed is inferior to its own ; such prey 

 being generally captured in the evening, and the creature lying passive on the 

 sand during the day. Some species of horned lizards are remarkable as being 

 the only members of the family, save one other genus, which produce living 

 young; the number of young being in some instances as many as twenty -four. 

 Always small feeders, these lizards are capable of undergoing long fasts with 

 impunity ; and as they are habituated to a dry atmosphere, and probably never 

 drink, they may be sent packed in wadding long distances by post. 



The most remarkable peculiarity connected with these lizards is their habit of 

 ejecting jets of blood from the eyes, apparently as a means of defence. The 

 following letter from Mr. V. Bailey, written from California, in 1891, describes the 

 phenomenon as first observed by him : " I caught a horned toad to-day that very 

 much surprised Dr. Fisher and myself by squirting blood from its eyes. It was 

 on smooth ground, and not in brush or weeds. I caught it with my hand, and 

 just got my fingers on its tail as it ran. On taking it in my hand, a little jet of 

 blood spurted from one eye, a distance of fifteen inches, and spattered on my 

 shoulder. Turning it over to examine the eye, another stream spurted from the 

 other eye. This he did four or five times from both eyes, until my hands, clothes, 

 and gun were sprinkled over with fine drops of bright red blood. I put it in a 

 bag, and carried it to camp, where, about four hours later, I showed it to Dr. 

 Fisher, when it spurted three more streams from its eyes." The phenomenon has 

 been subsequently observed in other specimens. 



THE GIRDLED LIZARDS. 

 Family 



Omitting mention of a family represented only by one genus (Xenosaurus) and 

 one species from Mexico, the next group for consideration is that of the girdled 

 lizards, from Tropical and South Africa, and Madagascar, of which there are four 

 genera. These lizards, which may be either snake-like in form, or provided with 

 four fully-developed limbs, differ from all those hitherto described, with the 

 exception of certain geckos, in having the temporal fossae of the skull roofed over 



