52 THE SCRELTOPUSIO, OR PSEUDOPUS. 



The generic name, Saurophis, which is given to the reptile next in order, is of Greek 

 origin, and signifies Lizard-snake, in allusion to the very serpentine aspect of its body. 



This singular creature inhabits Southern Africa, and at first sight might be easily mistaken 

 for a serpent as it crawls about the ground, its four tiny limbs being far too weak to render it 

 any great assistance in progression, which is achieved, as in the serpents, by continual move- 

 ment of the projecting edges of the scales. Very little is known of its habits. 



The head of this reptile is of a somewhat pyramidal shape, and covered with shields, as 

 are both temples. The scales of the hack are slightly grooved, and a small keel runs across 

 their length ; they are regularly arranged in fourteen series. On the abdomen, the shields are 

 in six rows. There are four very small and feeble limits, each of which is furnished with four 

 little short and compressed toes, with rather long claws at their extremities. The body is long 

 and cylindrical, and a decided groove runs along each side. Its color is tawny brown, each 

 scale being of a deeper hue at its edge, so as to give a slightly mottled appearance to the 

 creature. The legs and lower edge of the temple are white, spotted with little dots of black. 



On account of the great rapidity of its movements, our next example has received the 

 appropriate title of Tachydrome, a name derived from the Greek, and signifying a swift 

 runner. 



This pretty little Lizard is an Asiatic animal, being mostly found in China, Cochin China, 

 and Java. Although its limbs are much larger and more powerful in proportion to the size of 

 the body than those of the preceding species, its tail is of such great comparative length, and 

 so slender in its proportions, that, quick as is the creature in all its movements, it has much 

 of a serpentine aspect. The tail, indeed, is longer in proportion to the body than is the case 

 with any other of the order, being three times the length of the body and head, and tapers 

 from the body like the thong of a whip from its handle. 



The collar of this creature is covered with scales and decidedly toothed. The scales of 

 the back are nearly square in form, slightly overlap each other, and are arranged in four 

 longitudinal series. Each scale has a decided keel along its length. The scales of the sides 

 are small and granular, and those of the abdomen and throat are larger, strongly keeled, and 

 boldly overlap each other, a provision which is evidently intended for the purpose of aiding 

 the creature in progression, and enabling it to hold itself firmly in any cleft into which it 

 may have retreated. The scales of the common snake answer the same purpose, as anyone 

 may prove by taking a snake by the tail and drawing it backwards over a carpet, or by allow- 

 ing itself to insinuate half of its body into a crevice in a rock or old wall, and then endeav- 

 oring to draw it out again by pulling at its tail. 



The color of this pretty Lizard is dark olive above. On each side a bold, white streak, 

 edged on either side with black, runs from the base of the head to the insertion of the tail. 

 On the sides of the body and neck are a multitude of little black dots, each having a white 

 centre, and between these dots the color is blue, glossed with golden yellow. The abdomen 

 and under parts are pure shining white, and the tail is generally olive, though in some speci- 

 mens it has something of a metallic or iridescent lustre, and gleams with golden or coppery 

 reflections. Between the nostril and the eye runs a short black line, and on the temples are 

 two similar lines, with a white streak between them. The total length of the Tachydrome is 

 about one foot. 



I.\ the curious snake-like Lizard called the Scheltopttsio. or Pseudopus, the limbs are 

 almost entirely absent, the front pair being altogether wanting, and not even exhibiting a 

 trace of their locality, while the hind pair of legs are only indicated by two slight scale-like 

 appendages at the junction of the tail with the body. It is often the case that with reptiles in 

 which the limbs are externally wanting, their bones, although very small and delicate, are 

 found beneath the skin. But in the Scheltopusic, the only indication of legs is found in a 



