54 TROPIDOLEPISUNDULATUS. 



Dimensions. Length of head, 7 hnes; length of body, 3 inches 3 Unes; length 

 of tail, 4 inches; total length, 7 inches 8 hnes. 



Habits. The Tropidolepis undulatus inhabits chiefly the pine forests of our 

 country, and is often found under the bark of decaying trees; it chooses also 

 commonly old fences as its basking place. It is exceedingly rapid in its motions, 

 climbing with great facility to the tops of trees, and is hence not taken alive 

 without great difficulty. Its food is insects, especially such as are found under 

 decayed wood. 



Geographical Distribution. The Tropidolepis undulatus has a very extended 

 geographical range. It is abundant in the forests of New Jersey, and is found 

 even as far north as latitude 43°, whence it reaches the Gulf of Mexico along the 

 Atlantic states; and is also common west of the Alleghany mountains, as I have 

 seen individuals of this species from Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas; and 

 Say observed it at Engineer Cantonment, on the Missouri. 



General Remarks. There can be no doubt that this animal was first observed 

 in Carolina by Bosc, who, in his manuscript notes sent to Latreille and Daudin, 

 describes it under the name Stellio undulatus, as Latreille first published it, 

 though Daudin afterwards arranged it as an Agama. Cuvier placed it in the 

 genus Tropidolepis, in which he has been followed by Dumeril and Bibron, who 

 have recently so well described the animal as to leave nothing to be required. 



