88 



THE MOLOCH. 



concealed under the skin. On the angle of the mouth at each side is placed a large mem- 

 branous fold of skin, curved so as to bear a close resemblance to a large external ear, and 

 boldly toothed on its edge. The neck is rather contracted, as if pinched, and has a cross fold 

 below. The back has no crest, the tail is much flattened throughout its length, and the toes 

 are long and very strongly toothed on the edge. The color of this reptile is gray and brovvn, 

 vdth a slight gi-een wash upon the top of the head. 



The Egyptian Mastigure, or Spine-footed Stellio, is a native of Northern Africa, 

 and was said, though wrongly, to be the reptile spoken of by the ancients as the land-crocodile. 

 Our figure of this creature is of one-third natural size. 



This species attains a rather large size, a f ull-gi"own specimen sometimes measuring a yard 

 in length. It is an inhabitant of desert spots, preferring old ruins, rocky ground, and similar 



EGYPTIAN MASTIGURE.— Pr<»«asi'ii; spinipes. 



localities, where it can obtain instant refuge in case of alarai. The color of this reptile is 

 bright grass-green during life, but, as is generally the case with all these animals, the brilliant 

 colors fade soon after death, and change to dhigy blackish-brown if the skin be stuffed, or to 

 mottled grays, browns, and blacks, if j) reserved in si)irits. The head of this creature is rounded, 

 the back without a crest, the skin of the throat so folded as partly to cover the ears, and the 

 ears themselves are oblong, and toothed in front. The tail is rather flattened, and furnished 

 with transverse rows of large scales, boldly keeled, and sharply pointed. A few conical spines 

 are scattered upon the upper part of the thigh, the sides, and loins. 



The last example of the Agamida; which can be figured in these pages, is the most 

 ferocious-looking of the whole family, and were its dimensions much enlarged, would be 



