IGUANAS 53 



General Character. — Most of the lizards are four- 

 footed creatures, many have long, whip-like tails, and nearly' 

 all are covered with scales, mostly very fine. Sometimes the 

 scales are large and horny. Quite a number of species are 

 either partly or wholly covered with spines. The majority 

 of lizards live upon the ground, or neai' the earth, but quite 

 a number of species live in trees. Those called flying dragons 



COINIMON IGUANA. 



possess parachute wings, and can fly as a flying squirrel does. 

 Some of the legless lizards live in the earth. 



Most lizards have teeth, but usually of a very simple 

 character, setting in each jaw in a long and rather even row, 

 like the teeth of a saw. 



There are eighteen Families of lizards, provided w^ith 

 eighteen formidable names, and it is not possible to consider 

 each one. For the present we will omit all references to the 

 I'amilies, and merely present a few examples which will il- 

 lustrate the Order as a whole. 



The Iguanas are among the largest and most interesting 

 of the Lizards, being surpassed in size only by the Monitors. 

 In their food habits they are omnivorous. Although feeding 

 chiefly upon vegetable food, many species devour birds and 



