SAURIl 275 



couinion upon heaths and sunny banks. One of a beautiful grepn colour, (i. viridis), is common over the south 

 of Europe, and in the Channel Islands.] 



The division AJgyra, Cuv., has the dorsal and caudal scales carinated ; those of the belly imbricated and sniooth> 

 and no collar round the neck. 



Tachf/dromus, has squaae carinated ssales ujion the back, under the belly, and on the tail ; neither collar nor 

 femoral pores ; but on each side of the anus is a small vesicle, opening by a pore. Their body and tail are very 

 much elongated, and the tongue still longer than in the Lizards. 



THE THIRD FAMILY OF THE SAURIANS,— 

 The Iguana Group,— 

 Have the general form, long tail, and few and unequal toes of the last series ; the eye, ear, double penis, 

 ajid anus, also similar ; but their tongue is thick, fleshy, and non-extensible, and is notched only at 

 the tip. They fall into two sections ; the first having no palatal teeth, in which the following genera 

 are arranged. 



The Stellions {StelUo, Cuv.) — 

 Which, with the general characters of this family, have the tail encircled with rings of large scales, 

 that are often spinous. The subgenera are as follow. 



Cordijlus, Gronov., which have not only the tail, but the belly and back covered with large scales, transversely 

 arranged. Their head, as in the common Lizards, is protected by a bony casque, and covered with plates. In 

 several species, the points of the caudal scales form spinous circles ; there are, also, little spines on those of the 

 sides, the back, shoulders, and outside of the thighs. The latter have a line of large pores. 



SieUio, Daud. — Caudal spines middle-sized ; the head posteriorly swollen by the muscles of the jaws ; the back 

 and thighs bristled with scales larger than the others, and sometimes spinous ; little groups of spines encircling 

 the ear ; no femoral pores, and the tongue lengthened to a point. But one species is known, which inhabits the 

 Levantine countries, where it is persecuted by the Mahometans, who conceive that it mocks their actions when 

 praying. 



Doryphorvs, Cuv. — No femoral pores, as in the last, but the trunk not bristled with groups of spines. 



Uromastix, Cuv., have merely the head not swollen, and all the body-scales small, uniform, and smooth, but 

 those of the tail are still larger and more spinous than in restricted Stellio, though there are none underneath it. 

 A series of pores beneath the thigh. 



The Agamas {Agama, Daud.) — 

 Have a great resemblance for the restricted Stellions, especially in the bulging of the head ; but their 

 imbricated and not verticillated caudal scales distinguish them. The maxillary teeth are nearly the 

 same, and there are none on the palate. In 



The Ordinary Agamas, the scales, raised into points or tubercles, are alike bristled on various parts of the body, 

 and especially round the ear, into spines that are sometimes grouped, and sometimes isolated. Occasionally, there 

 is a range round the neck, but they never form the crest which characterises the Galeotes. The skin of the throat 

 is lax, folded across, and susceptible of inflation. Some only have femoral pores. 



TheTapays are merely Agamas, which, with a swollen belly, have a short and slender tail. 



Trapeliis, Cuv., have all the scales small and spineless, and no femoral pores. That of Egypt changes colour as 

 readily as the Chameleon. 



Leiolepis, Cuv., has the head less swollen, and is wholly covered with small and smooth serrated scales. It has 

 femoral pores. 



Tropidolepis, Cuv., is uniformly covered with square, imbricated scales, and has the series of femoral pores 

 strongly marked. 



Leposoma, Spix., differs only from the last in the absence of the pores. 



The Galeotes, {Calotes, Cuv.), are regularly covered with imbricated scales, often square and pointed, over the 

 whole body, limbs, and tail, which last is very long ; those of the middle of the back being more or less raised and 

 compressed into spines, forming a crest of varying length. 



Lophyrus, Dumeril, have a compressed tail, and dorsal crest still higher than in the last, from which they difler 

 in possessing femoral pores. 



Gonocephaliis, Kaup., have also a sort of disc on the skull, formed by a crest which terminates by a dente- 

 lation before each eye. They likewise have a throat-appendage and nuchal crest. The tympanum is visible. 



Lyriocephalus, Merrem, conjoin to the characters of Lophyrtis that of having the tympanum couched under the 

 skin and muscles, as in the Chameleons. They have also a dorsal crest and keeled tail. 



Brachylophus, Cuv., have small scales, a nuchal and dorsal crest but slightly projecting, a small throat-appen- 

 dage, femoral pores, and general aspect of the Iguanas ; but no palatal teeth, and those of the jaws denticulated. 



rhy.si!inathus,C\i\\—The head bulged backwards, without any throat-appendage, and a crest of great pointed 

 scales along the back and tail, which last is much compressed. 



The Istiures (fstiurus, Cuv. ; Lophura, Gm.) — 

 Are characterized by a raised and trenchant crest, which extends over a part of the tail, and is sus- 



T 2 



