118 REPTILES OF THE WORLD 



peculiar parallelism of markedly characteristic genera 

 in the Agamidce and the New World Iguanidce. This 

 in no way relates to adaptation. It points directly to 

 unique, really grotesque development along such simi- 

 lar lines that if it were not for the adamantine obstruc- 

 tion — the difference between acrodont and pleurodont 

 dentition dividing the two families — scientific workers 

 might justty fuse a number of these twin genera. As 

 examples we might mention the familiar horned "toads" 

 of the Iguanidce, and in the Moloch horridus of the 

 Agamidce we have a parallel form; the crested iguanas 

 of the Iguanidce are matched by the species of Physig- 

 nathus of the Agamidce; again, the genus Phymaturus 

 of the former family, with rings of coarse spines about 

 the tail and granular scales on the body, brings vividly 

 to mind the twin genus Uromastioc — the Spiny Tailed 

 Lizards of the Agamidce. 



The habitat of the Agamidce embraces Africa, Asia, 

 Malaysia, Australia and Polynesia. The richest distri- 

 bution covers India, JNIalaj^sia and Australia. While 

 the family is poorly represented in Africa, it is curious 

 to explain that no species occurs in Madagascar. 



The Flying "Dragons," genus Draco, serve as good 

 introductory subjects to the Agamidce. Over twenty, 

 in mmiber of species, and natives of the Malay Penin- 

 sula and Archipelago, these nimble, prettily-marked 

 lizards are the most remarkable representatives of their 

 family. A number of the ribs are greatly prolonged, 

 movable (laterally) and attached to a pair of mem- 

 branous sheets of skin. When these processes are at 

 rest they are folded in wing-like fashion against the 

 sides of the bod3^ Thus the reptile carries the append- 

 ages when running or jumping over horizontal boughs 

 in search of insect prey. Suddenly it may wish to 



