AGAMOID GROUP. 



119 



and directed outwards ; this particular species being distinguished by the absence 

 of a spine above the eye, by the aperture of the ear being smaller than the eye, 

 and by the inferior surface of the parachute being ornamented with black spots. 

 In addition to the appendages on the throat, the males have a small crest on the 

 nape of the neck ; while in both sexes the back is covered with irregular, large- 

 keeled scales, and its sides have a series of still larger scales, which are also keeled. 

 In length it measures a little over 8 inches. As regards coloration, the upper- 

 parts are of a brilliant but variable metallic hue, ornamented with small dark 

 spots and wavy cross bands ; between the eyes is a black spot, and a similar 

 one occurs on the nape ; the parachute is orange, with marblings or irregular 

 crossbands of black ; and the throat is mottled with black, its appendage being 

 orange in the male and bluish in the female. This lizard inhabits the Malay 

 Peninsula, Sumatra, Java, and Borneo ; and in the living state is described as being 

 so superlatively beautiful as to baffle description. 



Essentially arboreal in their habits, the flying lizards generally frequent the 

 crowns of trees, and as they are comparatively scarce, and seldom descend to 

 the ground, they are but rarely seen. Describing the habits of the Malayan species, 

 Cantor says that " as the lizard lies in shade along the trunk of a tree, its colours 

 at a distance appear like a mixture of brown and grey, and render it scarcely 

 distinguishable from the bark. There it remains with no signs of life, except the 

 restless eyes, watching passing insects, which, suddenly expanding its wings, it 

 seizes with a sometimes considerable, unerring leap. The lizard itself appears to 

 possess no power of changing its colours." When excited, the appendages on the 

 throat are expanded or erected ; and the ordinary movements of the creature take 

 the form of a series of leaps. After commenting on the fact that both flying 

 lizards and flying lemurs inhabit the same countries, and have very similar modes 

 of life, Moseley states that, when springing from branch to branch and from tree 

 to tree, the former pass so rapidly through the air that the expansion of the 

 parachute almost escapes notice. Some examples kept on board ship were in 

 the habit of flying from one leg of a table to another. The females appear to 

 lay three or four oval whitish eggs. 



Oriental Among a number of genera, characterised by their more or less 



Tree-Lizards, compressed bodies and generally arboreal habits, the numerous tree- 

 lizards constituting the genus Calotes may be selected for brief mention. These 

 beautiful lizards belong to a group distinguished from many of their allies by the 

 aperture of the ear being open, while they are especially characterised by the 

 absence of any distinct fold of skin across the throat, by the equality in size of 

 the large keeled scales on the back, and the presence of a large crest on the back 

 and neck ; the tail being very long and whip-like. One of the best known species 

 is the variable lizard (C. versicolor), ranging from Baluchistan, India, and Ceylon 

 to the south of China, an exceedingly handsome lizard of some 16 inches in length, 

 with a very large crest, but so variable in colour, when alive, as almost to defy 

 description. It is one of the commonest of the eastern Asiatic lizards, and derives 

 its name from its power of changing colour, which is especially marked when it 

 is sitting basking in the sun; the head and neck being often yellow, flecked with 

 red, the body red, and the limbs and tail black. When irritated, or feeding rapidly, 



