OPHIDIA. 43 



General colour — above ; rich olive-brown — below ; brownish yel- 

 low ; tail broadly banded with these colours 3 upper parts of the 

 limbs slightly banded. 

 Total length, 17|- inches. 

 Length of tail, 12 inches. 



„ of ear to the end of the muzzle, 1 inch 4^ lines. 

 „ of nostril to the end of the muzzle, 3^ lines. 



We have sometimes seen these Lizards three feet long. 

 The European residents in LaLuan call them Chameleons : the 

 flesh is occasionally eaten by the Chinese, and is said to be 

 white and good. They run very quickly with the joints of 

 the legs very high, which gives them an odd, grasshopper sort 

 of appearance. Their natural haunts appear to be chiefly 

 among hollow fallen trees, but when pursued they run up the 

 trunks of standing trees with great facility, resting with the 

 head upwards. Dogs will hunt them with eagerness, and they 

 appear to leave a strong scent. 



Gen. Bronchocela. 

 Bronchocela cristatella (Gray, Cat. Brit. Mus.). 



Colour variable ; when alive, upon being startled, the animal 

 changes from a bright grass-green to brown and gray ; the speci- 

 mens we have preserved in spirits are green, with more or less of a 

 metallic violet gray lustre — below, the colours are light. 



Scales on the belly and below the tail, deeply keeled, and more 

 than twice the size of those of the upper parts. 



Total length, 18 inches 3 lines. 



Length of tail, 13 inches 9 lines. 



„ of ear to the end of the muzzle, 1 inch. 



These Lizards are not uncommon, and are very frequently 

 seen in pairs, haunting leafy shrubs and trees, among which 

 they principally live ; they may sometimes be seen sitting 

 upon the twigs with their backs up like frogs, and occasion- 

 ally taking very long leaps from branch to branch : when on 

 the ground they run very swiftly. 



Order Ophidia. 

 Fam. Crotalida3. 

 Gen. Trimesui'us. 



Trimcsurus maculatus (Gr.). 



