THE LIZARDS 109 



A development like this is to be noted with Terato- 

 scincus scincus, a species attaining a length of six to 

 seven inches and inhabiting the arid or actual desert 

 regions of Turkestan and Persia, and as well with the 

 genera Ceramodactyhis, Ptenopus and Stenodactylus, 

 in all about eight species/ The single species of 

 Cermnodactylus inhabits the deserts of Persia and 

 Arabia. Ptenopus is represented by a very small 

 species inhabiting South Africa — Damara Land. The 

 five species of Stenodactylus are small and inhabit the 

 sterile sands of northern Africa and southwestern 

 Asia. 



For the uninitiated tourist in a tropical countrj^ there 

 is usually an unpleasant surprise — furnished by ven- 

 turesome geckos. One generally anticipates an awaken- 

 ing of insect life with the coming of darkness, and he 

 is not disappointed. Swarms of winged forms are 

 attracted to his lamp. Great, hard-shelled beetles enter 

 the window with a sonorous hum like from a distressed 

 buzz-saw, dash against the lamp chimney, then flounder 

 on the floor; moths of various sizes dart hither and 

 thither or whirl in dizzy gyrations about the light ; a col- 

 ony of tiny, ghost-like things dance up and down or are 

 instantly consumed in the flame; there is a continuous 

 buzz varying in its cadence and taxing to the nerves 

 of any but a naturalist, when, without warning', a silent 

 gray form darts obliqueh^ across the wall, jumps from 

 the vertical surface to the ceiling over which it flees, 

 and like a streak of light continues down the opposite 

 wall; perhaps for a moment it may stop, exhibiting a 

 body as big as that of a small rat, glittering, cat-like 

 eyes and a pulsating throat. To the nervous traveler, 



1 Exactly the same form of development for a desert life is to be seen 

 with the species of IJma — American lizards of the family Jriiwnidfp, in- 

 habiting the deserts of the southwestern United States. See illustration. 



