THE EARED MEGALOCHILE. 



87 



pouch, but the skin of the throat is loose and plaited into a single cross fold towards its base. 

 The body is rather flattened, and there is a longitudinal plait on each side. The tail is round 

 and conical. 



In the restricted genus Agama — a word, by the way, which is not derived from any 

 classical source, but is simply the popular name among the natives of Jamaica — the scales of 

 the back are flat and keeled, and the third and fourth toes are nearly equal in length. The 

 throat is marked with one longitudinal fold, and one, or sometimes two transverse folds towards 

 its base. Upon the sides of the neck and near the ears are curious groups of spiny scales. 

 There is a slight crest along the back, the body is rather flattened, and the tail is long, tapering, 

 and is covered with whorls of boldly projecting scales. 



In a very old work on natural history, it is stated that the Lizards which have their tails 

 thus armed with sharp, spiny scales, make use of them in a rather singular fashion. They 

 feed, according to these old writers, on cattle and other animals, and judging that from their 

 small size they cannot bring an ox or a cow home after they have killed it, they jump on its 

 back, cling tightly there with their feet, and by judicious lashing of the sharp tail, guide the 

 animal to their home, where they give the fatal bite. 



^^ 



SPENOSE AGAMA.— Agama colonorum. 



Tite Spinose Agama (Agama colonorum) is a well-known example of this genus, residing 

 in Northern Africa, and plentiful in Egypt. The color of this reptile is brown ; the scales on 

 the sides of the neck are very long and sharp, and those of the back are broad, boldly keeled, 

 and sharply pointed, so that the creature presents rather a formidable appearance. The tail 

 is long and powerful. 



There is a very remarkable Lizard belonging to this family, called the Eared Megalo- 

 chile, or sometimes, though wrongly, the Eared Agama. 



This curious creature is found in Russia. In this genus, containing, as far as is at present- 

 known, only one species, the head is Hat and round, the eyes large, and the ears sunken and 



