280 ZOOLOGY. 



skin to the subjacent muscles, — a feature liigbly conspicuous in the chamse- 

 leon. The skin appears to be provided with various coloring matters, in 

 different layers, which may be exhibited at or near the surftice, under 

 different circumstances and to different degrees, thus producing the various 

 shades of color. These colors depend much upon external conditions, but 

 are especially seen when the animal is irritated, or exposed to an elevated tem- 

 perature. When remaining in a dark, cool place, the color of the skin is 

 nearly white, which the stimulus of light and heat soon converts into a bottle- 

 green, or venous red, this sometimes of such intensity as to appear almost 

 black. These colors may be partial in their distribution, or may cover the 

 whole body. 



The family is represented by a single genus, Chamaleo {pi. 74, Jig. 72), 

 which is confined entirely to the Old World. Most of the species are 

 African. One species, C. vulgaris {pi. 88, Jig. 3), is found in the South of 

 Europe. 



Fam. 6. Geckonidm. The Gecko f\imily is eminently nocturnal, the 

 entire organization fitting the species for this life. With some resem- 

 blance to the last, in some parts, the geckos are characterized in the first 

 place by a clums}^, depressed body, so low on the legs as to permit the 

 abdomen to drag along the ground ; the greatest thickness is in the middle, 

 and the back is without crest. The feet are short ; the toes usually 

 dilated, and provided beneath witli transverse folds of skin, by means of 

 which they are enabled to adhere firmly to the surface over which they 

 may be moving. The claws are sharp, curved, and in some species re- 

 tractile. The head is large and depressed, the mouth extensive, the eyes 

 very large and protruding. In most species the pupil is a vertical slit, 

 with or without denticulated margins. The tongue is short, fleshy, not 

 protractile, and free at the extremit}^ The teeth are small, uniform, and 

 implanted along the inner margin of the jaws. The tail is frequently 

 provided with curious appendages, never, however, Avith a dorsal crest. 

 The skin is granulated, somewhat as in the Chamaeleons. In some 

 species, it is extended along the sides and limbs into a kind of marginal 

 fringe. 



The GeckonidcB, unlike the last family, are pretty generally distributed. 

 Asia, Africa, America, and Australia, divide the species pretty equally. 

 Europe possesses two species. None are found in the United States, a 

 species of Platydactylus having been assigned erroneously. The entire 

 family may, Avith Cuvier, be ccmveniently divided into seven sections, 

 according to the structure of the toes. In the first section, Platydactyla, 

 the toes are more or less enlarged along their entire length, and provided be- 

 neath with transverse imbricated laminas, which are either entire or divided by 

 a longitudinal median furrow. A species of Gecko, Platydactylus mto'alis, 

 is common in Southern Europe, where it excites attention by its power of as- 

 cending smooth perpendicular Avails. It is this species Avhich is called Taran- 

 tola or Tarantula, by the Italians. Another species, P. guttatus {pi. 88, 

 Jig. 4), is a native of Asia. 



The second section, Hemidactyla, embraces species in Avhich the toes 

 48i 



