DIVISIONS OF SEPTILIA. 



271 



This same brittleness exists in the Glass-snake {Opldsti/iirus runtrnlis) 

 of the Southern United states, in which also there are no limbs. In 

 other allied genera, there may be fore-feet alone, or hind-feet may 

 be present, or all four limbs exist in a more or less rudimentary 

 condition. In the true Lizards {Lacerta), all four limbs are joresent 

 in a well-developed form ; as is seen in the common Green Lizard 

 {L. viridis) of Europe. The genus Laceria is represented in America 

 by the Anieivm, of which the Striped Lizard {Ameicn se.r-lineatn) of 

 the Southern States may be taken as a good example. Of all living- 

 Lizards the largest are the Monitors ( Varanidce), wliich are exclu- 

 sively confined to the Old World, and attain sometimes a length of 

 from six to eight feet. Very large, too, are some of the Iguanas 



Fig. 196.— He.id of Gecko stentor. (After GUntlicr.) 



(fig. 194), which occur in warm regions in various pai'ts of the worlfl, 

 but especially in South America, where they are often eaten. Related 

 to the Iguanas are the singular Lizards known as the Flying 

 Dragons {Draco), various species of which inhabit the Indian Archi- 

 pelago and the East Indies. They are all of small size, living in 

 trees and feeding on insects ; and their great peculiarity consists in 

 the fact that certain of the ribs are straightened out and su])poit a 

 wing-like fold of the .skin on eacli side of the liody, In means of 

 which the animal can take very extensive leaps fr(jm tree to tree. 



The Scincoid Lizards form a very large family, rejiresented by 

 numerous species in all ]jarts of the world. One species is a common 

 form in Egypt and Arabia, and was formerly used as a remedy in 



