Dr. J. E. Gray on the Clasper.^; of Male Lizards. 283 



t^g. 7. Esperin socialis, mihi : a, inflated end of acuate or large slieleton- 

 spicule ; a, front y'la^ of anchorate spicule ; b, lateral view of 

 the same ; c, bibaniate spicule ; d, bundle of minute acuate 

 spicules (the two latter occurring in masses together) ; c e, la- 

 teral flukes ; f, middle fluke ; g, falcate septum ; h, foot. Scale 

 l-12th to l-6000th of an inch. 



Fig, 8. Carmia niacilenta, Gray : a, inflated end of acuate or large ske- 

 leton-spicule ; b, front view of anchorate spicule ; a , lateral 

 view of the same ; c, bihamate spicule ; d, tricurv'ate spicule ; 

 e e, lateral flukes ; /", middle fluke ; g, falcate septum ; h, foot. 

 Scale l-12th to l-GOOOth of an inch. 



XXXVI. — On the Clasjyers of Male Lizards (Sauri). 

 By Dr. J. E. Gray, F.R.S. &c. 



My attention has been drawn to this subject by the following 

 circumstance : — 



]\Ir. F. Moore, of the India Museum, has sent me a specimen 

 to ask me if I Can give him a clue to what it really is ; it 

 was sent, with some hotanical products, from Bombay, where 

 he believes it is used as an article of food ; and " it has 

 hitherto been supposed to be the root of a plant [Cyclamen) j 

 which of course it is not." Others have determined it to be 

 a Tlolotlmria or something of the kind, or a particular form 

 of barnacle. 



When it was soaked in hot water, so as'to expand it, there 

 was no doubt about its being part of an animal ; and I Avas 

 inclined to regard it as the penis of a lizard, from what I 

 recollected of the form of that organ ; and I was sure that 

 it was part of a reptile, on account of the group of scales with 

 which the base was covered. 



But when I cut it open, I found that it was quite solid, and 

 without any opening in any part of its surface for tlie emis- 

 sion of any secretion, and consisted of a pair of parallel carti- 

 lages covered with a skinny sheath, covered externally with 

 horny plates, and having at the end a pair of exposed horny 

 processes, which are divided at the end into several acute 

 prominences, very unlike the structure of a penis. 



On my showing the sjDCcimen to Dr. Giinthcr and Mr. Ed- 

 ward Gerrard, they both determined that it Avas the penis of a 

 lizard ; and, at my request, Dr. Gtinthcr confirmed this deter- 

 mination by showing me the retracted penis of a Monitor pre- 

 served in spirits ; and Mr. Gerrard shoAved me a stuffed speci- 

 men of Varanus heraldicus in the Museum, in Avhich the penes 

 Avere exserted ; and there could be no doubt that aa'c had 

 rightly determined the true nature of the bodies AAdiich Mr. 

 Moore had submitted to my inspection. 



20* 



