240 MR. R. SWINHOE ON THE REPTILES OF CHINA. [Apr. 28, 
4. Draco, sp.? 
The little Flying Lizard appears only to be found in the jungly 
district of Nychow (South Hainan), where it is an article of trade. 
The natives say that it is usually met with during spring in the forests 
in pairs flying from tree to tree. They are caught with a net; and 
when one is taken the other falls to the ground and allows itself to be 
captured without difficulty. They are pinned out like Butterflies and 
dried for the market. Their chief use is to hasten childbirth, the 
dried reptile being placed on the forehead of the woman in labour. 
They are called Fei-shay, or “ Flying Snake,”’ and sell for one shilling 
apiece. I bought six of the prepared specimens; but Dr. Giinther 
says that in their dried state it is impossible to determine the species. 
5. CALOTES VERSICOLOR (Daud.); Giinth. op. cit. p. 140. 
This long-tailed green Tree-lizard, with a combed back, was very 
common in all the woody parts of the island, and I secured a good 
series. It is very agile in its movements, running with great celerity 
along the ground and up trees, and leaping from bough to bough 
like a Squirrel. The Chinese are very loth to touch it, declaring it 
to be venomous. 
6. Liotepis GuTTatus, Cuv.; Giinth. op. cit. p. 154. 
On the low sandy hill, partly covered with Cocoa-nut trees, that 
bounds on the south the Lingshuy lagoon (S. E. Hainan) I first met 
with this large, showy, white-spotted Lizard. They were very nu- 
merous, and the sandy soil was riddled with their holes. They lay 
basking in the sun, and when disturbed would run with great speed to 
the mouths of their holes, where they would stop short and turn their 
heads about. If not satisfied with what they saw, they popped at 
once into their holes. If surprised far from their holes, they spring 
into the air while running, and, expanding the loose red skin of their 
sides, skim along the surface of the sand for a considerable distance 
(say, often twenty yards at a time) and thus reach their retreats at 
greater speed. Their flight is not continued by flaps, but seems to be 
merely a long sustained leap, the body being made buoyant by the 
expanded side skin, and is analogous to the flight of the Flying-fish. 
They have a peculiar smell about them, which affects the taste of 
their flesh ; and they are in consequence not eaten by the Chinese, 
except when in great distress for food. I met them again in the 
Nychow district, and in many warm sandy nooks along the west 
coast—never in the neighbourhood of woods, and I do not believe 
that they ever scale trees. We saw hundreds of them, and took great 
interest in watching their habits. 
The British Museum has specimens of this Lizard from the Ma- 
layan peninsula, from Mergui, from Cambodia, and from China. 
II. Ophidia. 
7. Simotes or Oxigopon, sp.? 
A red Snake about 1} foot in length, Dr. Giinther says, belongs 
