526 



LACERTAE 



CHAP. 



known as intussusception of the gut. They certainly could not 

 complain of the want of heat, since the bottom of their cage was 

 kept permanently warm by a lamp, and in the autumn they in- 

 variably slept in the warmest part of the soil* avoiding the cool 

 regions which would have given them a chance of hibernating. 



Another consignment arrived in the month of February. 

 None of them ate anything or survived the early summer. 



U. acanthinurus and U. spinipes are common in Algeria, 



FIG. 128. Uromastix acanthinurus. 



Tunis, and Egypt, where they prefer sandy and rocky localities. 

 Their Arabic name is Dab. .In Algeria they are sometimes 

 called " le'zards des palmiers," perhaps because they eat dates, 

 besides berries, grass, and various flowers. Very large specimens 

 attain a length of 1 8 inches. Like the other species of Uromastix 

 they have no voice. The African species can change colour 

 to a great extent. At a low temperature they are mostly grey 

 or brownish black above, dirty white below. When it is warmer 

 they change to lighter shades of brown or even to orange yellow 

 and to green, with black or brown specks and vermiculations. 



