LIZARD. 



\oii\ length is not above ten or eleven ir.cTii^s. The fcales 

 which cover the body are of an oblong fortn, and the tail 

 is verticillated with rowe of Urge fcales. 



Seftion C. Back and tail, or the v.'hole body, covered 

 with denticulate or Iharp-pointed fcales. 



Species. 



PKi.LU>rA, or Pelluma li/ard, has a long tail, and verti- 

 -ciliated with rhomboidal fcales. It is about two feet in its 

 total length, and i,? diilingiiidied on the upper parts of its 

 Tjody by a beautiful variety of green, yellow, blue, and black 

 colours. The under parts of tiic body are of a gloffy ycl- 

 lowilh-grcen : it is a native of Chili, and lives under ground; 

 •t!ie inhabitants of that country make its ficin into pouches. 

 Its feet are five-toed, and its claws very ftrong. 



Steli.io, or rough lizard, has a verticillated tail, with 

 •denticulated fcales ; the body and head are muricated. 



This fpecies, as its Enghfli nanle implies, is remarkable 

 for the unufually rough appearance of its whole upper fur- 

 face ; both body, linibs, and tail being covered with pointed 

 fcales, projefting here and there to a confidcrablc diftance 

 beyond the furface. The general colour of the animal is a 

 pale blueini-brown, with a few deeper and lighter tranfverfe 

 variegations. It is not above eight or nine inches in length. 

 It is a native of many parts of Africa. Dr. Shaw, in 

 fpeaking of tliis fpecies, fays, " it may be obfer\Td that the 

 lizard, which was probably termed Slel/io by the ancients, 

 from its being marked with fpots refembling ilar?, feems at 

 prcfent unknown. It is, however, obfervable, that in 

 one of Seba's plates a fpecies occurs, which is attually 

 marked witli well-defined or regular ilar-fhaped fpots.'' 

 5on-.e naturalifts confider the lizards called geckos as the 

 true_/?fffionfj. 



Mauritanica, or Moorifh lizard, is charaAerized by a 

 fubverticiMate tail, muricate, fliort, fmooth at the tip, body 

 .above muriciite, toes unarmed, lamellate beneath. 



This is cnc variety : the fecond is dillinguiflicd by a verti- 

 cillate tail ; and the third by having a prickly body. It is 

 found in Mauritania, and in fome parts of India. The 

 body is lurid, the upper part has protuberances, the lower 

 is fmooth ; fcales are very minute ; tail (ho.-ter than the 

 body, from the bafe to the middle rough, with fix rows of 

 fpines, thence to the tip fmooth. 



AzuREA, Azure lizard. Tail vcrticillate, (hort with mu- 

 (Cronate fcales. 



This is the ehganl'ijfima of Seba. The colour, in its 

 natural ftate, feems to be an elegant pale blue, fafciated on 

 the body and tail with fcveral tranfverfe, and alternate bands 

 cither of black or very deep blue ; but this is faid to be 

 moft confpicuous in the fmaller fpeciniens or varieties. It 

 is fometimes only a few inches long. The larger variety has 

 a deep chefnut band on the (boulders. The fmaller variety 

 is a native of fome parts of Africa; the larger of South 

 America. 



Angulata, or Angulated lizard, has a long and 

 hexagonal tail, and is furnifhed with carinated and mucro- 

 nated fcales. This is a fmall fpecies, having a tail lono-er 

 than the body. The colour is of a duflcy brown Beneath 

 the throat there are two rounded f^a'es. The tail is longer 

 than the body, and ftrongly marked with longitudinal ridges. 

 It is a native of America. 



Orbicularis, or Orbicular lizard, has a brown body ; 

 the tail is (hort, fcales muricated. Both body and tail are 

 round. The colour is of a duflcy brown, variegated with 

 idiiferent fhades ; the body is large, and in fome refpecls it 



refemblos a toad. It is a rare fpecies, and is a nr.tlvc o-' 

 South America, particularly in New Spain. 



Ba.sili8Cus; Bafi)ilk lizard. Tail round; dorf.d fin ra- 

 diate ; hind-head crefted. The bafilid; is about tightccii 

 inches long, of a pale a(h-brown colour, with fome darker 

 variegations about the u])per part of the body. In the 

 young animal, the dorfal or caudal proccfs, and the pointed 

 occi; ital creft, are lefs dillinct. 



The badlidc is chiefly a native of South America. It 

 refides principally among trees, and its food is infcfts. It 

 is aflive, and by means of its dorfal cref. or fin, it is ensblcd 

 to fprjng from tree to tree. It can fi\im with great eafe. 

 It has a very formidable appearance, but is quite harmlcfs. 

 In the poetical dcfcriptions of the ancit nts, it was coniiJered 

 to be tiie moll malignant of all poifor.< ns ai.iinals, e\en its 

 look was regarded as fatal. The terrific glance rf the 

 bafiliik in the African deferts, according to I.ucan, obliged 

 the reil of the poifonous tribe to keep at a d'lancc. 



PiiixciPALis ; Smooth-crefted lizard. T],: tail of the 

 fpecies is fubcarinale ; crell on the throat very entire, back 

 fmooth. It IS of H (lender form, and fmall, rar"]j exceed- 

 ing eight or nine incies in length, including botti body and 

 tall. The colour is bkie, the head fmall, and the fnout 

 taper. It is a native of ^;outh America. 



Platura ; Broad-mailed lizard. Colour grey brown, 

 paler beneatii ; body rough ; tail deprelTed. lanceolatcd, and 

 fpiny on the margin. This fptcies is from four to fix inclics 

 long ; it is diftinguiflied by the lir.gular form of its tail. 

 The feet are pentadaclylous ; the toes (lender, and the 

 claws curved. It is found in New Holland. 



Seilion D. Back ciliatc, toothed or creded ; head co- 

 vered with callolilies. 



Species. 



Iguana ; Common or great American Guana. This 

 fpecies has a long round tail; back ferrated ; the tLrii;it 

 crelt denticulated. This, of all the lizard tribe, is of the 

 moft peculiar form, and grows to a conliderable fize. It is 

 fometimes three, four, or five feet long. The general co- 

 lour is green, fhadcd with brown. The back is ftrongly 

 ferrated, which, as well as the denticulations of the pouch 

 at the throat, gives it a formidable appearance. 



Ii is a native of the Wcfl Indies, and fome parts of the 

 continent of America. It frequents rocky and woody 

 places, and feeds chiefly on infcfts and vegetables. It is 

 eafily tamed, and follows the human race like a dog ; it is 

 caught by a noofe thrown over its head ; the flefli is 

 reckoned a great delicacy : the general colour is green, but 

 varioufiy tinged in various animals : it has tiie power of in- 

 flating the throat pouch to a very large fize. 



According to Catefby the animals of this fpecies are 

 of various f.zes, from two to five feet in length ; their 

 mouths are furnifiied with exceedingly fmall teeth, but their 

 jaw is armed witli a long beak, witli which they bite with 

 great flrengtli. Tiiey inhabit warm countries onlv, and 

 are rarely met with any where north or fouih of the 

 tropics. Many of llie Bahama iflands abound with tlicm, 

 where tliev nelUe in hollow trees and rocks. Guanas make 

 a conliderable part of th(5 fuhfillence of the inhabitants of 

 the Bahama iflaiids, for wliich purpofe tliey vilit many re- 

 mote iflands in their floops to catcli them, wliich they io 

 by dogs trained for tlie purpofe. Guanas feed on vege.- 

 tables and fruit, particularly on a kind of fungus growing 

 at the roots of trees, and on the fruits of the anona^. 

 Their flcfii is eafy of digeftisn, but is thought not to agree 

 with conttitutions 'labouring under a particular difeafe. 



Though 



