ORDER SAURIA, 97 



THE SECOND ORDER OF REPTILES, 



The Sauria, 



Have the heart composed, like that of the Chelo- 

 nia, of two auricles, and of a ventricle sometimes 

 divided by imperfect partitions. 



Their ribs are mobile, partly attached to the ster- 

 num, and have the capacity of being raised or 

 depressed for the purposes of respiration. 



The lungs extend, more or less, to the hinder part 

 of the body. They frequently penetrate consider- 

 ably into the abdomen ; and the transverse muscles of 

 the abdomen are insinuated under the ribs, as far as 

 towards the neck, to embrace them. Those Sau- 

 rians which have this organ much expanded, possess 

 the singular faculty of changing the colours of the 

 skin, according as they experience the emotions of 

 any want or passion. 



Their eggs have an envelope more or less hard, 

 and the little ones issue from them with the form 

 which they are always to preserve. 



Their mouth is always armed with teeth, and, 

 with few exceptions, their toes with claws. Their 

 skin is clothed with scales more or less crowded, 

 or at least with small scaly grains. The male organ 



VOL. IX. H 



