38 REPTILIA. 



FAMILY IV. 



GECKOTIDA. 



This family is composed of nocturnal lizards which are so 

 similar that they may be left in one genus. 



Gecko, Daud. — Askalarotes, Cuv. — Stellio, Schn.(l) 



The Geckos are Saurians which do not possess the elongated 

 graceful form of those of which we have hitherto spoken, but on the 

 contrary are flattened, the head particularly. Their feet are mode- 

 rate, and the toes almost equal; their gait is a heavy kind of crawl- 

 ing; very large eyes, whose pupil becomes narrowed at the ap- 

 proach of light, like that of a cat, render them noct^-nal animals, 

 which secrete themselves during the day in dark places. Their very 

 short eye-lids are completely withdrawn between the eye and the 

 orbit, which gives them a different aspect from other Saurians. 

 Their tongue is fleshy and non-extensible; their tympanum some- 

 what sunk; their jaws every where furnished with a range of very 

 small closely-joined teeth; their palate without teeth; their skin is 

 studded above with very small granular scales, among which are 

 often found larger tubercles, and beneath, covered with scales some- 

 what 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 (where there are any naturally) without tubercles; circum- 

 stances which have led to an undue multiplication of species. 



This genus is numerous and disseminated throughout the warm 

 portions of both continents. The melancholy and heavy air of the 

 Gecko superadded to a certain resemblance it bears to the Salaman- 

 der and the Toad, have rendered 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, au- 



(1) Gecko, a name ^ven to a species in India, in imitation of its cry, just as ano- 

 ther one is termed Tockaie at Siam, and a third Geitje at the Cape; <fr»o(x*- 

 ?•?)»;, the Greek name of the Geckotte, Lacep. 



