THE COMMON IGUANA. 



75 



The Woodslave has no claws on its toes, the pupil of the eye is round, and the eye- 

 lid circular. The back and tail are covered with small scales. The color is generally 

 black and yellow, arranged in cross bands, and there is a white streak on each side of 

 the head. There are several species belonging to this genus, all inhabiting similar 

 localities. 



THE reader will remember that in the turnip-tailed Gecko, mentioned on page 72, the 

 tail is curiously swollen at the base after its reproduction. In the LEAF-TAILED GECKO, 

 otherwise called WHITE'S, PHYLLURE (Phylh'irus platiirus), the tail is always rather long, 

 flattened considerably, very broad, with a deep notch at its junction with the body, and a 

 shallower double notch in the centre. Along the middle there also runs a shallow 

 groove, and the entire aspect is so quaint, not to say ludicrous, that on seeing a speci- 

 men of this odd-looking Lizard, the first impression on the mind is that the tail has 

 been cleverly manufactured and attached to the body by artificial means. This Gecko 

 is a native of New Holland. 



Both the scientific names of the Leaf-tailed Gecko refer to the singular formation of 

 its tail, the one signifying Leaf-tail, and the other Broad-tail. The head of this reptile 

 is very broad at the base, very sharp at the snout, and the skin adheres so closely to 

 the bone as to exhibit the form of the skull through its substance. The toes are long, 

 slender, and rather compressed. Along the sides runs a fold of skin, very slight, but 

 sufficiently conspicuous. The tail is very thin and leaf-like ; along the edge runs a 

 series of spiny scales, and its surface is covered with rather long conical tubercles 

 arranged in cross rows. The color is brown, and a number of little spiny tubercles are 

 scattered over the back. 



In taking leave of the Geckos, we must cast a hasty glance at their feet. In many of 

 their movements the Geckos bear a curious likeness to the common fly, and when one 

 of these reptiles is seen gliding along a perpendicular wall with noiseless step, or cling- 

 ing with perfect ease to an overhanging beam, quite regardless of the fact that it is 

 hanging with its back downwards, the resemblance is irresistible. And on inspecting 

 the foot and its structure, the resemblance which this member bears in many species to 

 the well-known foot of the fly, is remarkably close and worthy of attention. 



WE now arrive at an important tribe of Lizards, called by the name of Strobilosaura, 

 a title derived from two Greek words, one signifying a fir-cone and the other a lizard, 

 and given to these creatures because the scales that cover their tails are set in regular 

 whorls, and bear some resemblance to the projecting scales of the fir-cone. In all these 

 reptiles the tongue is thick, short, and very slightly nicked at the tip. The eyes have 

 circular pupils, and are formed for day use. 



THE first family of these Lizards consists of those creatures which are grouped 

 together under the general title of IGUANA. This word is employed extremely loosely, 

 as the name of Iguana is applied to many species of Lizards, such as the monitors and 

 the varans, which in reality have little in common with the true Iguanas. These 

 reptiles can mostly be distinguished from the rest of their tribe by the formation of 

 their teeth, which are round at the roots, swollen and rather compressed at the tip, 

 and notched on the edge. There are generally some teeth on the palate. All the 

 true Iguanas inhabit the New World. As the family of Iguanas is extremely large, 

 and contains more than fifty genera, we can only examine a few of the most interesting 

 species, the first of which is the COMMON IGUANA. 



This conspicuous, and in spite of its rather repulsive shape, really handsome Lizard, 

 is a native of Brazil, Cayenne, the Bahamas, and neighboring localities, and was at 

 one time very common in Jamaica, from which, however, it seems to be in process of 

 gradual extirpation. 



