ORDER SAURIA. ^ 213 



union during many years, sharing the arrangement of their 

 household, the care of excluding the young from their nume- 

 rous eggs, of carrying them into the sun, of placing them in 

 shelter from cold and humidity. These eggs are round, of 

 the diameter of three or four lines, and covered with a cal- 

 careous envelope. 



This lizard is subject to variations in its colours, according 

 to age, sex, and particularly the climate which it inhabits, 

 which is nothing surprising, considering that it is found at 

 once both in the north and south of Europe. 



We pass over the other species of lizards, particularly as 

 most of them are doubtful, and but ill-ascertained, and 

 nothing can be adduced concerning their manners or habits, 

 that can compensate the reader for the trouble of attending 

 to their descriptions. We also, for the same reasons, pass 

 over the sub-genera of algyra and tachydromus, and proceed 

 to the third great family of the saurians, the Igua.nians. 



The name of Stellto was given to the first genus of this 

 family by Daudin, after the ancient Latin name of a not very 

 well determined reptile. 



This genus, which Linnaeus had confounded with the 

 lizards, is now generally admitted as distinct, and may be 

 thus characterized. 



Pointed tail, rounded, with spinous verticillae ; neck and 

 paws distinct ; the latter with free, unequal, unguiculated, 

 and not opposable toes ; no teeth in the palate ; tongue 

 fleshy, thick, not extensible, and merely emarginated at the 

 end ; head swelled behind by the muscles of the jaws ; back 

 and thighs bristled here and there with scales larger than 

 the rest, and occasionally spinous. Ears surrounded with 

 small groups of spines; thighs destitute of follicular 

 spines. 



The subdivision of cordylus we have passed over, as little 

 of interest can be adduced concerning it. From it the stcl- 



