30 



LlZAKDS.- 



-KEPTILES.- 



-Thick-tongued Lizards. 



exserted, (uid give support to the wing-like lateral 

 oxpansions of the skin ; a long tail, and five free but 

 nijeqiial toes on each foot. The species are all of a 

 small size and verj' harmless. They are found living 

 in the bosoms of the forests which cover some of the 

 binning regions of Africa and a portion of the large 

 islands of the Indian Ocean, particularly Java and 

 Sumatra. Their wings are capable of being folded up 

 and developed like a fan, at the will of the animal. 

 In a state of repose they are horizontal, but when 

 expanded they support the body like a parachute, when 

 the creature leajjs from branch to branch. They 

 have not sufficient power, however, to strike the air 

 and elevate it like a bird. Their food consists of 

 insects, which they pursue with dexterity and quickness, 

 and may almost be said . to tike them on the wing. 

 They appear to have no objection to tlie water, as they 

 have been seen swimming in a river at some distance 

 fiom land. 



THE COMMON FLYING LIZARD {Draco vvlaiis) 

 is the sjiecies most frequently met with, and the best 

 known. The colour of this animal is of a uniform green- 

 ish hue, with the exception of the wings, which are of a 

 very pale brown, and are each of them maiked with four 

 transverse brown bands, fringed at their sides with little 

 white points. Bontius tells us that this pretty little 

 reptile, which is common in the island of Java, inflates its 

 yellowish goitre when it flies, that it may be more light 

 in the air, without, however, being able to traverse any 

 great space. It only shoots from tree to tree, a distance 

 of about thirty paces, and produces by the agitation of its 

 wings a slight noise. It is a native also of Borneo and 

 the Philippine islands. 



THE LINED FLYING LIZABD [Dracunculus liiiealus), 

 the species represented in Plate 2, fig. 4, is much rarer 

 than the former, and is found in the great woods of 

 the islands of Java and Amboina. Its habits are, we 

 believe, much the same as the common species, but, 

 being rare, the animals have not been much observed. 

 In this species the drum of the ear is hid under the 

 skin, whilst in the other it is exposed— hence it now 

 forms a separate genus, under the name of Dracunculus. 

 The Crested Lizards {Luphurce) belong to this 

 group also. These reptiles are remarkable for the 

 crest which they possess, which e.xtends from the 

 head to the extremity of the tail, and is supported 

 throughout its length by long rays. The toes are 

 lung and are furnished on each side with a margin 

 of horizontal scales, which scales are so developed in 

 tlie hind feet as to form a sort of web or first expansion. 

 THE CRESTED LIZARD OF AMBOINA {Lophura 

 AinboinvnsU) is a handsome species, and often attains 

 a length of three or four feet. It was first described by 

 tSchlosser as a native of Amboina, and it is also found 

 in Java and the Phillipine islands. It is the represen- 

 tative iu Asia of the Basilisk of America, and has by 

 several authors been described as a species of that 

 genus. It has a small throat pouch, with a lax fold of 

 skin iu froiit of the neck, and the tail is nearly three 

 times as lung as the body. It is of a green colour, with 

 black lines above and white beneatli. This reptile 

 Irequents the neighbourhood of large rivers, climbing 

 the trees growing un their banks, and there passing its 



lime tranquilly, feeding upon fruits, seeds, small worms, 

 and insects, and depositing its eggs in the sandbanks 

 and little islets of the river, as if it sought to place them 

 there in safet}'. It is a timid creature, easily alarmed, 

 and flies at the least appearance of danger, without 

 making any attempt to defend itself. Should the river 

 be near it plunges into it, swimming with ease and 

 rapidity, and liastening to conceal itself under (he rocks 

 and stones. The flesh is said to be very good, superior 

 even to that of the Guana, and hence the natives hunt 

 them with avidity for the purpose of using them as 

 food. They follow them into the water, and when laid 

 hold of the poor creatures makes no attempt at defence, 

 and utter no cry. '' This mildness of disposition," says 

 Lacepede, " has by many been called stupidity ; but 

 how often have not quiet and unostent:ilious qualities 

 been designated by that name ! " 



We have mentioned that two or three genera of these 

 arboreal Agamas are natives of Australia. One of the 

 most curious of these is the Frilled Lizard {Chla- 

 nii/dosaurus), which has neither the crest on the back or 

 tail, or cheek pouches, but has the neck furnished with 

 a large plaited membrane on each side, expanded like 

 a broad frill. The edge of this frill is serrated, and tlie 

 whole of it is covered with small keeled scales. The 

 frill increases in size, out of proportion to the size of the 

 animal, as it becomes older. When young, it does not 

 reach to the base of the fore limbs, but in the adult it 

 becomes much fuller, and reaches considerably beyond 

 the armpit. 



KING'S FRILLED LIZARD [Chhwnjdusiwrus Kiiigii), 

 the only species known to exist, is a native of Purt- 

 Essirigton, and of a fulvous colour, varied with brown. 

 The head is of a pyramidal form and short ; the 

 tail is long and tapering. Little is known of this 

 curious lizard, but it was observed by Sir George Grey, 

 in his travels in Australia : — " As we weie pursuing 

 our route in the afternoon," he says, " we fell in willi a 

 specimen of the remarkable Frilled Lizard. This animal 

 measures about twenty-four inches from the tip of the 

 nose to the point of its tail, and lives principally in trees, 

 althougli it can run very swiftly along the ground. 

 When not provoked or disturbed it moves quietly about, 

 with its frill lyhig back in plaits upon its body; but it 

 is very irascible, and, directly it is frightened, elevates 

 the frill or rail's, and makes for a tree ; where, if over- 

 taken, it throws itself upon its stern, raising its head 

 and chest as high as it can upon the fore legs, then 

 doubling its tail underneath the body, and displaying a 

 very formidable set of teeth from the concavity of its 

 large frill, it boldly faces any opponent, biting fiercely 

 whatever is presented to it, and even venturing so far 

 in its rage as to fairly make a fierce charge at its enemy. 

 We repeatedly tried the courage of this lizard, and it 

 certainly fought bravely whenever attacked. From the 

 animal making so much use of this frill as a covering 

 and means of defence for its body, this is most probably 

 one of the uses to which nature intended this appendago 

 should be applied." 



Amongst the members of the sccoiul group, or the 

 terrestrial species, are the true Agamas {Agaminu), 

 which give the name to the whole family. The name 

 Ar/ama is derived from a word used by the colonists of 



