116 SATJEIANS. 



enables them to discover tLe Yarans in the hollow trees in which 

 they habitually shelter themselves. A Barman, though ordinarily 

 a lazy man, will think nothing of cutting down and breaking up a 

 large tree in which one of these creatures has sought refuge. The 

 Varanidm deposit their eggs in tlie ground, usually selecting a 

 deserted White-ant's nest. The eggs are cylindrical, with taper- 

 ing ends, of a dirty white colour and leathery texture (those of 

 V. draccena are two inches long), and, being esteemed an tmcom- 

 mon luxury by the Burmese, sell dearer than fowls' eggs. Thej^ 

 are oily and feculent-looking, though devoid of any nauseous 

 odour, and some Europeans eat them with pleasure. 



A well-known African species, the V. or Psammosaurus scincus, 

 extends (T\-ithout the slightest difference) to the extreme desert 

 region of the north-west of India, and more habitually frequents 

 dry localities than others. In this species the nasal apertures are 

 placed very near the ej^es. 



In the genus Ilydrosaurus, the nostrils are nioi'e or less 

 rounded, and are situate near the extremity of the snout. These 

 animals are more decidedly aquatic than the preceding, and 

 somQ of the species grow to seven or even eight feet in length. 

 Such is the //. giijanteus of Australia, where three, if not four, 

 species inhabit. In all south-eastern Asia and its islands, 

 its range extending to Lower Bengal but not to India proper, 

 although found in Ceylon, the //. salcator is a common species, 

 which, according to the late Dr. Cantor, is " ver j? numerous 

 in hilly and marshy localities of the Malaj-an peninsula. It is 

 commonly, during the day, observed in the branches of trees over- 

 hanging rivers, prej'ing upon birds and their eggs and smaller 

 Lizards, and ^^'hen disturbed it throws itself from a considerable 

 height into the water ; it will courageously defend itself with 

 teeth and claws, and bjr blows with its tail." 



We have now to treat of the 



FACI-lYCa^OSSA, 



Which are those Lizards which have the tongue short, thick, at- 

 tached to the gullet, and not exsertile. These fall under two very 

 distinct tribes — the StrobUosauru and Kijctlmura of Dr. Gray, or 



