THE LIZARDS 107 



Number 



of Distribution 



species 



Genus Ophiopsiseps i 1 species Australia. 



Family Chamceleontido': True 

 Ciiameleons. 

 Genus Chamwleon 44 species Principally Africa and Mada- 

 gascar; Southern Spain, 

 Arabia, Southern India and 

 Ceylon. 



Genus Brookesia 3 species Madagascar. 



Genus Rhmnpholeon 2 species Tropical Africa. 



1 Relationship doubtful. A worm-like species. 



The Geckos: Three families come under this head. 

 The extensive, cosmopolitan Geckonidce, the small fam- 

 ily EuhlepliaridcB, and the Uroplatidce — the latter com- 

 posed of a single genus and three species. The group 

 is well worthy of the life study of a technical worker. 

 Few of the geckos attain a large size — a length of fif- 

 teen inches. The majority of the species are small, 

 stout-bodied, with a thick, stumpj^ tail. 



Family Geckonidce. There should be no difficulty 

 in recognizing the average gecko. Its thick-set body, 

 broad, flattened head, stumpy tail and the round disk or 

 "sucker" on each toe are good characters; but add to 

 these the soft, smooth appearance of the skin — coated 

 with minute, granular scales — and we have a creature 

 looking quite unlike the popular idea of a lizard, as 

 most geckos have a realty toad-like skin — often coated 

 with numerous warts or tubercles. Debarring a few 

 exceptions, the species of the present family are devoid 

 of eyelids; the eyes are protected and move readily 

 under a cap like a diminutive watch crystal. Most of 

 the geckos have an elliptical (cat-like) pupil, indicating, 

 as is indeed the case, the prevalence of nocturnal habits. 



