34 REPTILES. 



panum somewhat sunk ; their jaws every where furnished with a range of 

 very small closely-joined teeth; their palate without teeth; their skin, 

 which is studded above with very small granular scales, among which are 

 often found larger tubercles, has beneath scales somewhat smaller, which 

 are flat and imbricated. Some species have the femoral pores. There 

 are circular plaits on the tail as on that of an Anolis, but, when broken, 

 it grows without these folds, and even without tubercles where these might 

 be natural to them — circumstances which have led to an undue multipli- 

 cation of species. 



This genus is numerous and disseminated throughout the warm portions 

 of both continents. The melancholy and heavy air of the Gecko, and a 

 certain resemblance it bears to the Salamander and the Toad, have ren- 

 dered it the object of hatred, and caused it to be considered as venomous, 

 but of this there is no real proof. 



The toes of most of them are widened along the whole or part of their 

 length, and furnished beneath with regular plaits of skin, which enable 

 them to adhere so closely, that they are sometimes seen crawling along 

 ceilings. Their nails are variously retractile, and preserve their point 

 and edge, which, conjointly with their eyes, authorize us to say, that the 

 Gecko, as compared to other Saurians, is what the Cats are to the Carni- 

 vorous Mammalia; but these nails vary, according to the species, and in 

 some are entirely wanting. 



The first and most numerous division of the Geckos, which I will call 

 the 



PLATYDACTYLI. 



The Platydactyles have the toes widened throughout their whole length, 

 and covered beneath with transverse scales. 



Some of these Platydactyle Geckos have no vestige of a nail, and their 

 thumbs are very small. They are beautiful species, completely covered 

 with tubercles, and painted with the most lively colours. Those known 

 are from the Isle of France. 



In some the femoral pores are deficient*. 



One of them, G. inunguis, Cuv., is violet above, white beneath, 

 with a black line on the flank. Another, G. ocellatus, Oppel., is 

 grey, completely covered with ocellated brown spots with a white 

 centre. 



In some again these pores are very strongly marked f. Such is 

 the Gecho cepedien, Peron, of the Isle of France ; pale yellow, mar- 

 bled with blue ; a white line along each flank. 



I am not sure, however, that the pores in this first subgenus are 

 not indications of the sex of the animals. 

 Other Platydactyli have no nail to their thumb, or to the second and 

 fifth toes of all the feet; the femoral pores are also deficient J. 



* M. Gray appropriates the name of Platydactylus to this division. 



•j- It is from this division that M. Gray has made his genus Phehuma; the Laccrta 

 gietje of Sparm. should belong to it. They are considered very venomous at the 

 Cape. 



+ This division forms the genus Tarentola of Gray. 



