378 A GENUS OF LIZARDS. 



refuge, when pursued, in burrows, hollow trees, and the clefts of the 

 rocks. His ciy resembles a loud whistle, and the natives entrap the 

 bird by imitating it. When the female has been taken, the male is 

 easily caught, owing to his reluctance to leave her. He will, how- 

 ever, defend himself vigorously with his spurs. 



The Erpetological Fauna of Australia, and, in general, of Oceania, 

 is very poor, and comprehends no great species. I may notice a 

 genus of lizards, the Chlamydosaurus, discovered by Allan Cunning- 

 ham, the naturalist attached to Captain King's expedition, about 

 1820. It measures about seventeen inches in length, of whicli 

 twelve inches are apportioned to the tail ; is of a yellowish-brown 

 colour ; has a large head, with prominent eyes ; and a membraneous 

 ruff or tippet round its neck, covering its shoulders, and when 

 expanded spreading about five inches in the form of an open 

 umbrella. If attacked or terrified, it elevates the frill or ruff and 

 makes for a tree ; where, if overtaken, it throws itself upon a stem, 

 raising its head and chest as high as it can upon the fore-legs, then 

 doubling its tail underneath the body, and displaying a very formid- 

 able set of teeth from the concavity of its large frill, it boldly faces 

 any opponent, biting fiercely whatever is presented to it, and even 

 venturing so far in its rage as to fairly make a fierce charge at its 

 enemy. 



Venomous serpents are numerous : particularly the Hydrophis, 

 or Water-Snake, very common in the neighbouring seas, where it 

 feeds on fishes. The back part of the body and tail being much 

 compressed, and vertically raised, endows it with the capacity of 

 swimming. 



