THE GLASS SNAKES. 



299 



sciiELTOrrsiK (Pseudopus 



Snakes, partly from their very snaky appearance, partly because they are glassy in tint, and 

 principally on account of their brittleness. 



The European Pseudopus is a common example, and it is called the Scheltopusik (Pseudopus 

 pallasiiy Cuvier). It has been found in Central Russia, in Europe, Hungary, and in Dalmatia, 

 and is a dark, chestnut-brown, glassy snake-looking creature, reaching the length of two feet. 

 It has the rudiments of the hind limbs, in which a small femur is hidden, and they have no digits. 

 Internally, there are traces of the shoulder and pelvic girdles, and one lung is a quarter less in 

 size than the other. This species lives on insects, small mice, worms, and frogs. 



An American Glass Snake (Ophisaurus ventralis), very small, breakable, and limbless, belongs to 

 this group, and has no hind limbs. It reaches twenty-eight inches to three feet four inches in length. 

 It chooses dry places, passes much of its time in holes, and is often, dug out of the earth with 

 the sweet potato at harvest time. It moves with considerable swiftness, and is found from Virginia 

 to Cape Florida, and ranges to the Mississippi, and as far as Michigan. 



CLASSIFICATION OF THE ORDER SAURIA, OR LACERTILIA, OR LIZARDS. 



Example : Lacorta agilis (Sand Lizard). 



Tejus teguexin (Teguexin Lizard). 



( Monitor niloticus (Nile Monitor). 

 " <[_ Heloderma horridum. 



Iguana tuberculata (Tuberculated 



Iguana) . 

 Draco volans (Flying Dragon). 



SUB-ORDER, 1. FISSILINGUES . . 



2. CRASSILINGUES 



3. RHYNCHOCEPHALA 



4. VEKMILINGVES 



5. AXXELATA . . , 



6. BREVILIXGUES , . 



FAMILY 1. LACERTIDJE . . 

 2. AMEIVID^E . . 



,, 3. PLATYNOTA . . 



FAMILY 1. IGI:AXID.>E. 



(Plourodont) 



(Acrodont) . . 

 ,, 2. AGAMID^E. 



(Acrodont) . . 

 (Pleurodont) 

 ,, 3. ASCALABOTES 

 FAMILY 1. SPHENODONTJE . 

 FAMILY 1. CHAMJELEONID-'E 

 FAMILY 1. AMrmsB.'KNnx'E . 

 FAMILY 1. SCIXCOID^ . . 

 2. 



Moloch horridus (The Horrid Moloch). 

 Phrynosoma cornutus (Horned Toad). 

 Platydactylus fascicularis (Gecko). 

 Sphenodon (Tuatera). Hatteria. 

 Chamseleon vulgaris (Chamaeleon). 

 Amphisbama alba (the Amphisbasna). 

 Scincus officinalis (the Common Skink) 

 Pseudopus pallasii (Scheltopusik). 



