80 



that were once so common respecting the formidable dragon may be found in one of 

 the huge saurians of the ancient days, which had survived its comrades, and preserved 

 its existence upon the earth after man had been placed upon this planet. 



The most conspicuous characteristic of this reptile is the singularly developed membra- 

 nous lobes on either side, which are strengthened by certain slender processes from the 

 first six false ribs, and serve to support the animal during its bold leaps from branch to 

 branch. Many of the previously mentioned Lizards are admirable leapers, but they are all 

 outdone by the Dragon, which is able, by means of the membranous parachute with which 

 it is furnished, to sweep through distances of thirty paces, the so-called flight being almost 

 identical with that of the flying squirrels and flying fish. 



When the Dragon is at rest, or even when traversing the branches of trees, the para- 

 chute lies in folds along the sides, but when it prepares to leap from one bough to another, 

 it spreads its winged sides, launches boldly into the air, and sails easily, with a slight 

 fluttering of the wings, towards the point on which it had fixed, looking almost like a stray 

 leaf blown by the breeze. As if in order to make itself still more buoyant, it inflates the 

 three membranous sacs that depend from its throat, suffering them to collapse again when 

 it has settled upon the branch. It is a perfectly harmless creature, and can be handled 

 with impunity. The food of the Flying Dragon consists of insects. 



The colour of this reptile is variable, but is usually as follows : The upper surface is 

 grey with a tinge of olive, and daubed or mottled with brown. Several stripes of greyish 

 white are sometimes seen upon the wings, which are also ornamented with an angular 

 network of dark blackish brown. Sometimes the black is rather plentiful upon the wings, 

 forming four or five oblique bands near the edge. It is a small creature, measuring only a 

 few inches in length. 



The FRINGED DEACON is mostly found in Sumatra, where it seems to be tolerably 

 common. In habits, and in general appearance, this reptile bears a great resemblance to 

 the preceding species, from which, however, it may be known by the conspicuous black 

 spots on its wings, each spot being surrounded with a ring of white. The head is greyish 

 white, covered with an irregular network of dark brown, and on the throat are a number 

 of circular specks covered witli granular scales. Upon the under parts of the male, the 

 scales are rather large and keeled, and upon the wing are a number of rather short white 

 dashes of a partly triangular shape. Along the sides runs a series of small triangular 

 keeled scales. 



Besides these species there are several other flying Dragons, all inhabiting similar 

 localities. They are divided into genera on account of the different structure of the ear 

 and the position of the nostrils. The tail of all the Dragon Lizards is extremely long, and 

 very slenderly formed. 



A VERY curious reptile of this family deserves a passing notice. This is the TIGER 

 LIZARD, or GONYOCEPHALE ( Gonyocephalus chameleontina), a native of Java. This creature 

 is remarkable for the high and deeply toothed crest which runs along the nape of the 

 neck, like the crest of an ancient helmet, and far overtops the head, although the upper 

 part of the skull is much raised by an enlargement of the orbits. A large but compressed 

 Douch hangs from the lower ja\r and throat, and is prolonged so as to form an angular fold 

 just before the shoulder. A toothed crest runs along the back, but is barely one quarter 

 the height of that which passes over the nape, and the tail is long and compressed. The 

 colour of this Lizard is green, with variable streaks and scribblings of black, and the legs 

 are deeply banded. The Tiger Lizard sometimes attains a length of three feet 



The Lizards of this family are remarkable for the extraordinary modifications of form 

 which they exhibit In one species, such as the tiger Lizard, a row of long spike-like 

 scales is raised upon the neck, in the dragons the skin of the sides is dilated to an 

 enormous extent, and even the ribs are drawn out like wire and turned out of their usual 

 course to support the membranous expansion, and in the FRILLED LIZARD the neck is 

 furnished with a large plaited membrane on each side, forming a most remarkable appen- 

 dage to the animal without any apparent object. 



