HERPETOLOGY. 



. b 



except in 



Ilk*. 



in the 

 the clavicle, and the 



where it U 



ner of bird*, with the 

 fork. 



In the tortoiae tribe*, numeral* ar 

 areatucbed tolhc hunierus; while in 

 usairln which are found in this region 

 are wanting. 



The distal part of the aUantal extremity, or what 

 comparative anatomists cause to call the fore arm, con- 

 sists a* in quadruped* of two hones, except in the frog 

 and toad. These are analogoM to the radms and ulna, 

 but have ^veral peculiarities of structure. In paiticu- 

 Ur, the tortoises have then so fixed in a state of proaav 

 tion. a* to confine the action of these extremities to 



Anaunir 

 and f \tju- 



R 



His 



What is called the head or paw is in reptile* comi- 

 drrably varied. In the sea tattle* or cti fmlmi, it i* 

 whole without, though ceiuisting within ef mai 

 rateboucs. In the nwriani k ia wfji>a>ed. end 

 m *nme specie* of fire division*, in others of feu 

 and even OB, : these toes are generally furnished with 

 daws. These dighated paws, according to the nejejhrr, 

 length, and armour of their divisions, are adapted to 

 the variou* action* of walking, climbing, grasping, and 

 sewing, or tearing prey. 



elvis. and racially that part of it which 



that in these animal* the pelvis i* 

 ahle on the vertebral rninn. 



The thigh bone at reptile* i* swawlev to that ef 



r. ,, : . ..,, 



the tibia! or distal extremity, and a 

 the peUis. In the tortoiae* 

 chanters; bwt these are 



which it is nisjth jattanrd Then are lew |iatuliafities 

 m the mcwds*) of this region. 



The leg i* composed f a tibia and fibula, distinct 



Ulr- -li^tartlt tK-T n ,i( !r ji i a*J*j i \< i pf i f t r- V* . * h :i i 



they an saiHed When separate, they are nearly of 

 equal sue, and in general are artienlnW immediately 

 with the thigh bone. The muscies of the leg are most 



they 

 lagmanan. The hone* and srlii of the hinder feet 



4W til IDOw4 CsnWnf MHUnwnf wO I.MM9 irf tilt? t*** 



T Fou toe 'Cf y niwawfnn* PD*TTTI *Mt*9 poBMiuii 01 ttftc 

 limbs of reptiles, their progrr... mobuh*, and even 



rent tribe* and specie*. I* standing, tunics rest aa 

 nmeh on their breastplate a* on their paws, while the 

 land tortoises stand with their belly a ulr above the 



ffOwMKI* I Hat wMsfwMVlWM nwDO MMCUkUy frOg**, rt*t III 



Kind of sitting poetsjre. with the fore pan * their body 

 1 en the fore h-*> ThoM liaard*. whose bedim 

 a* the caWriaV*, are coiled 

 up in a state of rest. ' 



TKe turtle* rather scramble than walk like seal* ; 

 hot tortoise* walk well though slowly. Seme saurian* 

 move along with great agHity, while others, as the cro- 

 codiJ*. have a comparatively slow inmressi.ai. Few 

 reptile* danb wrll. ,f . except the rhamilim. whu L 

 is much assisted by it* prehensile tail. The, 



tupinambes are the be>t leapers among tha scurianj ; 

 and frogs and toads, though the)- cannot walk well, are 

 excellent jumpers. 



A great variety of reptile* swim well, especially tur- 

 tle*, crocodiles, and frogs. The only species that can 

 be said to fly u the dragon, whose motion through the 

 air resemble* that of the flying squirrels. 



CHAP. II. 



Of Semalio* in Keptilu. 



Aa the cavity of the cranium in reptiles U very small, tniu. 

 and not nearly' filled by the brain, it follows that the 

 sise of this organ is very inconsiderable. It i* calcula- 

 ted that, in the turtle, the brain is little larger than ^^ 

 pen of the whole body, though in the frog it is propor- 

 tionally much larger, being as 1 to 17.' It consist* 

 chiefly* of five rounded eminences, without convolution*, 

 and with a smooth base There u no eorut 



J'ormiz, potu varoiu, or arbor r/<r. and what are called 

 the ikaiami of the optic nerve*, are situated behind the 

 The distribution of the nerve* in the 



no remarkable peculiaritie*. 



The number of spinal nerves in the different order* 

 and tribe* of reptile*, i* propuitional to the number of 

 jrUihiai of which the spinal column it composed, and 

 their distribution i* so little different from that in man 

 and o^adinpula, that it need not be here described. 

 The nerves of the aUantal, or fore leg*, are drmed from 

 the cervical nerve*, and sometimes the dorsal, uniting to 

 form a bractial plexu or net-work. Those of tortoises 

 are extumely complex; those of lixards mere simple ; 



it has well marked tro- and those of frogs proceed from a very tin, k cord 

 I in liaani* and frog*, coming from between the second and third vertebra;, 

 the surineni load, m and fon 



j the largest nerve in the body. 

 The nerve* of the sacral extremity in li*ard*, after 

 emerging from the pelvis, form a single conl, * huh 

 run* down the inside of the thigh, and thence supplies 

 the leg and toe*. In frug* this Urge cord passes to the 

 part of the thigh, like the sciatic nerve in 



lemtW turtle. aiHlf^r,. 



It appear* 

 undinthe 



(bond 



that reptile* pours* all the five sense* T 

 other vertebral animals, though in very 

 proportMiM and degree*. Their -i^lit ap- 

 i to be very Mute, and their eyes are in general 

 and prominent. The sense of hearing, if we may 

 from their want ol external ear*, in much lee* 

 than that of sight. :< -Ming i* supposed 



a umiUr rasun and front the littlr . ap- 



ptmr to make of this sens* in seeking their loo<l, to be 

 still less acute ; and it i* doubted whether many of them 

 posses* the faculty of tasting at all. With respect to 

 touch, it i* probable that thoe which have soft iJuns 

 and digitated feet, pute*s considerable acuteness in 

 that rnw, while Utoe whkh have scaJy, shelly, or co- 

 riaceou* covering*, snd more especially the turtles, are 

 capable of exercuiug touch in a ree, if 



at all. We shall ox.in.ine the orgaiio of all these senses 

 in the order which we have bill down in the article 

 AXATOMY, and exemplified in ( nuux/v, except that 

 we shall <lrl'er the organ* of feeling, if they deserve 

 that name, to the head of Inlrgmmaltcm 



All reptiles appear to posses* a inngue, but it varies 

 ch ia substance and degree of mobility. In the tor- 



la tft* tifik 



,. in 



by Cu.ier on I be Ortiolofj ul tbs crocadilc, to waich 



- i uj: r .*.- i^ (ajeswl ll ;- 



