HEHPETOLOG Y. 



liquid. 



Delimits!- 



PLATE 



ti \rvi. 

 J-ig. 7. 



Common 

 (uaoa. 



DKACO 



20 



the vertebra from the neck to near the tip of the tail. 

 The head is somewhat pyramidal, and lias four sides ; 

 the tongue is broad, flat, fleshy, but little extensile, and 

 a little notched at its tip ; and below the throat is a 

 pendulous inflated skin, compressed laterally, and fur- 

 ni-!icd at its fore part with a crest resembling that on 

 the back and tail. The feet are strong, each having 

 live toes ending in claws, and under each thigh is a row 

 of small porous tubercles. The Guanas are found both 

 in the E. and W. Indies; and chiefly inhabit the woods, 

 sporting among the trees. There are three species, viz. 



Species 1. Iguana deliailisximii. Common guana. 

 Swelling of the throat pectinated anteriorly ; dorsal and 

 caudal crest pectinated ; forehead and muzzle covered 

 with smooth plates. Plate CCXCVI. Fig. 7. 



L'luuane ordinaire, Daud. iii. 263. pi xL 



L'lguane, Lacepede, vol L part ii. art 12. 



Lacerta iguana. Linn, a Gmelin. p. 1062. 



Common guana, Shaw, iii. pi. Ixi. 



;.'. /. cornula. Horned G. Swelling of the throat 

 anteriorly pectinated ; forehead beset with tubercles, 

 especially one resembling a horn. 



L'lguane curnu, Daud. iii. 282. 



Le lezard coniu, Lacepede, vol. i. part ii. art. 13. 



3. /. ccerulta. Blue G. Bluish-black, without spots ; 

 a longitudinal row of pointed scales on each side of the 

 neck. 



L'lguane ardnise, Daud. iii. p. 286. 



Species 1. Iguana dellcalisslmti. Common guana. 



1 nis animal, after the crocodile and the dragon, is 

 one of the largest of the Saurian order, being not un- 

 frequently found from four to six feet long from the 

 muzzle to the tip of the tail. In its general appear- 

 ance, exclusive of its colours, it is clumsy and unsight- 

 ly, and occasionally even assumes a terrific aspect. Its 

 head is large and thick ; its belly protuberant ; its tail 

 very long, thick at its commencement, and tapering 

 gradually towards a sharp point. Its serrated back, tail, 

 and throat, its long toes armed with sharp crooked 

 claws, and its jaws with numerous sharp teeth, are suf- 

 ficient to alarm an observer who is unacquainted with 

 its history. To counterbalance these deformities, how- 

 ever, its whole surface is covered with numerous shin- 

 ing scales, of the most brilliant appearance, reflecting 

 various colours when viewed in the sunshine, though 

 the prevailing tint is a brownish green. 



The guana is found both in South America and the 

 West Indies, where it inhabits the forests, especially 

 near the borders of lakes or the banks of rivers. It 

 sometimes ascends the highest trees in quest of insects ; 

 at others, seeks its prey among the grass and under- 

 wood. It is a harmless, inoffensive animal, and soon 

 becomes familiar with mankind. Its flesh forms a de- 

 licious article of food, and is either roasted fresh, or 

 salted and barrelled up for exportation, by the inhabi- 

 tants of those islands where it is most frequent. It is 

 said that the negroes are very expert in catching this 

 animal, amusing it by whistling, and, when it suffers 

 them to approach, tickling it with the end of a rod, 

 having attached to it a cord with a running noose, which 

 they gradually slip over the head of the animal, and 

 thus secure their prey. 



GENCS VI. DRACO. FLYING DRAGONS. 

 The extraordinary reptiles comprehended under this 

 name differ from all the other oviparous quadrupeds, in 

 having a membranous expansion resembling a wing, 

 supported by bony rays, and capable of being folded 

 .ml unfolded; extending from the flanks along each side 



of the body to the shoulders. In other respects they 

 resemble the guanas, having, like them, a crest along 

 the back and part of the tail, and an inflated membrane 

 below the throat. Their tail is, however, proportion- 

 ally longer, smaller, and more cylindrical, and their 

 limbs more delicately formed. Naturalists of the pre- 

 sent day reckon three species, which Daudin has dis- 

 tinguished by the following names and characters. 



Species 1. Draco lineatus. Radiated flying dragon. Lineatus. 

 Body beautifully variegated with blue and grey above ; 

 wings brown, longitudinally streaked with white. 



Le Dragon raye, Daud. iii p. 298. 



2. D viridis. Green flying D. Body green, rather Viridis. 

 scaly; wings grey, transversely marked with four brown 

 bands and connected with the thighs. See Plate 

 CCXCVI. Fig. 8. . 



Le D. verd. Daud. iii. p. 301. pi. xh. 

 Draco volans, Linn, a Gmel. p. 1056'. 

 Le Dragon, Lacepede, vol. ii. part ii. art. 53. 



3. D.Juscus. Brown dragon. Body brown, paler Fuscus, 

 beneath, scarcely scaly ; wings brown. 



Le D. brun, Daud. iii. p. 307. 



These animals so far resemble each other in habits, 

 manners, and habitation, that it is unnecessary to de- 

 scribe each species. They are usually of small size, 

 seldom exceeding eight inches in length. 



From this small size, and the membranous wings 

 with which they are furnished, they readily support 

 themselves for some time in the air, though their flight 

 seldom extends beyond thirty paces, darting from tree 

 to tree in the manner of the flying squirrels ; ani- 

 mals which they much resemble, as well in their mo- 

 tions as in their manner of life. They are supported 

 chiefly by insects, which they sometimes take while 

 on their flight. Flying dragons are found in Asia, Afri- 

 ca, and America, especially in the island of Java. 



We need scarcely remark, that the fantastic animals 

 described by the older writers of natural history, under 

 the name of dragons, are mere creatures of the imagi- 

 nation ; though it may be proper to observe, that spe- 

 cimens are not unfrequently met with, in cabinets of 

 animals, that nearly resemble the figures given by those 

 writers. It is now known that these specimens are arti- 

 ficial, and are formed by designing people, who make a 

 trade of selling natural curiosities, by dressing up small 

 ray fish, so as to resemble the fabulous dragons. 



GENUS VII. AGAMA. AGAMAS. 



The species now ranked under this name had gene- AGAU^ 

 rally been regarded as guanas, or stellios, from which Genus. 

 Daudin distinguishes them by the following characters. 

 Body oblong, more or less thick, entirely covered with 

 small rhomboidal scales, that are almost always carina- 

 ted and reticulated together ; tail in most instances cy- 

 lindrical, but in a few compressed ; throat capable of 

 being inflated ; tongue short, thick, a little cleft at its 

 tip ; head thick, callous, generally set with spines at 

 the back part, and covered with numerous small rhom- 

 boidal scales ; feet long and thin, having each five slen- 

 der toes furnished with claws. There are twenty-five Species. 

 species, arranged under five Sections. 



SECT. I. Agamas having a compressed Tail. 



Species 1. Agama superciliosa. Supercilious Agama. Supercilio. 

 Body of a pitchy black ; back and tail crestjed above ; 

 occiput callous and spinous ; scales of the body rhom- 

 boid and carinated. 



L' Aflame sourcilleux, Daud. iii. p. 336. 



Lacerta superciliosa, Linn, a Gmel. p. 1063. 



