438 CHAMELEONTIDZ. 
distinguished. Dentition acrodont; teeth compressed, triangular, 
more or less distinctly tricuspid. Palate toothless. 
Eyes large, covered by a thick granular lid pierced with a small 
central opening for the pupil. No tympanum. Body compressed ; 
neck very short. Vertebre proccelian. Abdominal ribs present. 
Limbs long, raising the body. Digits arranged in bundles of two 
and three; in the hand, the inner bundle is formed of three, the 
outer of two digits; it is the reverse in the foot. ‘Tail prehensile. 
Head and body covered with granules or tubercles. 
Physiologically as well as anatomically Chameleons stand by 
themselves among Reptiles, as is evidenced by the mobility and 
independent action of their eyes, the projectility of their tongue, 
the slow and deliberate movements of their limbs. The changeable 
hues of the skin, first noticed in them, is a peculiarity shared by many 
other Lizards, and to an equal, if not stronger, degree by Calotes. 
About one half of the species occur in Madagascar and neighbour- 
ing islands, the other half in Africa; the common Chameleon is 
Mediterranean, occurring in Europe however only in Andalusia; a 
species inhabits Socotra, another South Arabia, and a third India 
and Ceylon. 
Synopsis of the Genera. 
Claws simple; scales on soles smooth ; tail at least as long as the 
body. eve heehee oye ceed 1. Chameleon, p. 438. 
Claws simple; scales on soles spinose ; tail shorter than the body. 
2. Brookesia, p. 474. 
Claws bicuspid; scales on soles spinose ; tail shorter than the body. 
3. Rhampholeon, p. 475. 
1. CHAMALEON. 
Chameleon, Laur. Syn. Rept. p. 45, et omn. auct. 
Triceras, Futzing. Syst. Rept. p. 42; Gray, Proc. Zool, Soc. 1864, 
477 
Furcifer, part., Fitzing. 1. ¢. 
Bradypodion, Fitzing. 1. c. p. 43. 
Calyptrosaura, Gray, 1. c. p. 468. 
Erizia, Gray, 1. ¢. p. 471. 
Dilepis, Gray, 1. c. p. 472. 
Apola, Gray, fc. p. 473. 
Pterosaurus, Gray, l. ¢. 
Microsaura, Gray, 7. ¢. 
Phumanola, Gray, 1. c. p. 474. 
Lophosaura, Gray, J. e. 
Archaius, Gray, le. p. 475. 
Calumma, Gray, 1. c. p. 476. 
Crassonota, Gray, 1. c. p. 477. 
Ensirostris, Gray, 1. c. p. 478. 
Sauroceras, Gray, J, ¢. 
Dicranosaura, Gray, 1. ¢. 
Cyneosaura, Gray, I. ¢. p. 479. 
