132 CLASS REPTILIA. 



blue, changing into green and violet, and pointed 

 with black ; more pale underneath. It has a crest 

 of large dorsal scales in the form of spines, and a 

 large round plate under the tympanum, at the angle 

 of the jaws. The sides of the neck are furnished 

 with pyramidal scales, scattered among the others. 

 The anterior edge of its cuticular appendage is den- 

 ticulated like the back. This reptile is from four to 

 five feet in length, and common throughout all the 

 warm parts of America, where its flesh is considered 

 delicious, though unwholesome, especially for those 

 afflicted with the venereal disease, the pains of which 

 it renews. It lives principally upon trees, sometimes 

 visits the water, and feeds on fruits, grains, and 

 leaves. The female lays eggs in the sand as large 

 as those of a pigeon, agreeable to the taste, and 

 almost without white. The Mexicans name it 

 y^quaquetzpallia (Hevn.y^ and the Brazilians, Senembi 

 (Margr.) 



TJie Slate-coloured Iguana. Daud. Seb. I. xcvi. 4. 



Of an uniformly rather violet blue, paler underneath. 

 The dorsal spines are smaller. As to the rest, it 

 resembles the preceding. In both, there is an ob- 

 lique, whitish spot on the shoulder. This one comes 

 from the same country, and is probably only a variety 

 of age or sex.* 



* I have even every reason to believe that this conclusion should be 

 extended to the iguanas of Spix, pi. v. vi. vii. viii. & ix, j they appear to me 

 to be only varieties of age in the common species. 



