ZOOLOGICAL 



39 



GERRHOSAURID.ffi (Gerrhosaurus, &c. ■ 28 Species). 

 Plate 19, Map vi. 



This family is an entirely Ethiopian one, and intermediate in character 

 between the Scincidse and the Lacertidse. Five genera are distinguished, 

 and the two known as Zonosaurus and Tracheloptychus contain all the 13 

 species which are peculiar to the Malagasy sub-region. Tetradactylus, with 

 four species, is confined to South Africa. 



LACERTIDiE (Typical Lizards ; 142 Species). Plate 19, Map vi. 



The Typical Lizards are purely Old World creatures, and, moreover, are 

 absent from Madagascar and the whole of the Australian region. Eighteen 

 genera have been differentiated, nine of which (with 23 species) are con- 

 fined to Africa and Arabia, and one (with three species) to India. About 

 20 species are found in Europe, 12 of which are members of the typical 

 genus (Lacerta). Two of these, the Common Lizard (Lacerta vivipara) and 

 the Sand Lizard (L. agilis), are found in Britain, while two others, the 

 Green Lizard (L. viridis), and the Wall Lizard (L. menalis), are included 

 by some authors in the British fauna, simply on account of their occurrence 

 in the Channel Islands. The Common or Viviparous Lizard occurs in many 

 localities in England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, and is the only reptile 

 found in the latter country. The Sand Lizard, on the other hand, appears 

 to be confined to the south of England, rarely occurring outside the counties 

 of Dorset, Hants, and Surrey. 



TEJID.E (Greaved Lizards ; 161 Species). Plate 20, Map i. 



This New World family is an important one, and its members show con- 

 siderable diversity of form. Forty-two genera are recognised, Tupinambis 

 being one of the best known, since it contains a species known as the 

 " Teju," a native of the greater part of South America and the West Indies. 

 This is one of the largest Lizards in the family, attaining a length of a yard. 

 It is a forest animal and carnivorous, feeding on a miscellaneous assortment 

 of small animals. All the North American species (about 15 in number) 

 belong to the genus Cnemidophorus. 



XANTUSIID.E (Xantusia, &c. ; 6 Species). Plate 20, Map i. 



The few species of this family are distributed among five different genera. 

 One species occurs in Panama, Guatemala, and South-western Mexico, 

 another is confined to the island of Cuba, while the rest occur only in 

 Southern California. Little is recorded of their habits. 



VARANIDiE (Monitors ; 34 Species). Plate 20, Map i. 



This group is a well-isolated one, zoologically speaking. All the species 

 are placed in one genus ( Varanus), and range over the southern portion of 

 the Old World. The Australian region possesses about half the species, the 

 Ethiopian only five, while at least two range into the Palsearctic, occurring 

 in North Africa (Algeria and Egypt), Arabia, and Persia. Monitors are 

 giants among the Lizards, some species attaining a length of nearly 7 feet. 

 They are rapacious creatures, feeding upon whatever animals they can 

 overcome. 



LANTHANOTID-ai (Lanthanotus ; 1 Species). Plate 20, Map i. 



This family has been formed for the reception of a single species of 

 Lizard, of which only two specimens are known. They were found at 

 Sarawak, in Borneo, and present undoubted affinities to the Helodermatidse, 

 or Poisonous Lizards. The teeth, however, are not grooved, and it is prob- 

 able that there are no poison-glands. 



HELODERMATID-E (Poisonous Lizards; 2 Species). 

 Plate 20, Map i. 



The two species of this family occur in Western Mexico and New 

 Mexico Arizona, and Nevada respectively. They are the only Lizards 

 known which are actually poisonous, and they have been known in a few 

 cases to cause the death of human beings. They feed on worms, frogs, and 

 the ec^s of large lizards. The " Gila Monster," under which name either of 

 the species is known, is a remarkable example of what is known as "warn- 

 ino - coloration," being marked with vivid patches of yellow or orange on a 

 blackish -brown ground colour. Altogether the animal is a most repulsive- 

 looking creature. 



ANGUIDJE (Blind or Slow- Worms and Glass-Snakes ; 54 Species). 

 Plate 20, Map ii. 



Considering the small number of species, this family is somewhat widely 

 distributed, having representatives in four of the zoogeographical regions. 

 Many of the Angnidse have rudimentary limbs, or these may be quite absent, 

 as in the common British species (Anguis fragilis). Consequently, these 

 creatures have a snake-like appearance, and are often regarded by the 

 uninitiated person as belonging to the Ophidia, and hence to be handled 

 with care. Only two species occur in Europe, namely, the Common Blind 

 or Slow- Worm just mentioned, and the Scheltopusik or Glass-snake (Ophis- 

 aurus apus), which occurs in the Balkan Peninsula and South Russia, 

 ranoinc also into Asia Minor and Morocco. Borneo and Fokien, in China, 

 are each tenanted by a species of Ophisaurus, while another occurs in the 

 Eastern Himalayas and Burma. All the other species are American. 



Z0NURID.E (Girdled Lizards ; 22 Species). Plate 20, Map ii. 



This Ethiopian family contains only four genera, with the majority of 

 the species confined to South Africa. A single species of the typical genus 

 (Zonurus) occurs in Madagascar, another in Gallaland, and a Ghamsesaura 

 in Uganda. All the Lizards of this family are carnivorous. One genus has 

 rudimentary limbs, and consequently its representatives have a snake-like 

 appearance. 



XENOSAURID^ (Xenosaurus; 1 Species). Plate 20, Map ii. 



The single representative of this family, Xenosaurus grandis, is a Lizard 

 about a foot in length, with a depressed, granulated body, and a fold of 

 skin along the sides. It is confined to Southern Mexico, and is regarded 

 as a link between the Iguanidse, and the Anguidse. 



IGUAMD.E (Iguanas, &e. , 477 Species). Plate 20, Map ii. 



With the exception of the members of the genera Hoplurus and 

 Ghalarodon (six in number), which occur only in Madagascar, and Brachy- 

 lophus (one species), which is confined to the Fiji and Friendly Islands, the 

 Iguanidse are entirely New World creatures. Fifty-four genera have been 

 established for the reception of the numerous species, Avhich are for the 

 most part insectivorous in habit, though a few of the more conspicuous 

 forms are vegetarians. Their ways of life are varied, some being arboreal,, 

 others terrestrial, some burrowing, and some almost aquatic. The largest 

 genus is Anolis, which contains some 172 species, ranging throughout 

 tropical and sub-tropical America. They are beautiful creatures, slim of 

 body and large-footed, possessing the power of changing their colour to an 

 even greater extent than the better-known Chameleons. Basiliscus has 

 four species, which are remarkable for their strange form. The Galapagos 

 Islands possess several peculiar forms of Iguanidse, the best-known belong- 

 ing to the genus Conolophus, and being a creature of lazy and sluggish 

 habits, dark brown in colour, and weighing as much as 15 lbs. The 

 Horned Lizards of the genus Phrynosoma, of which 17 species are known, 

 are remarkable for their spiny heads and bodies, and their stunted, frog-like 

 appearance. They are found only in the western half of the United States 

 and in Mexico. 



AGAMIDiE (Agamas, Plying Lizards, &c. ; 293 Species). 

 Plate 20, Map iii. 



The members of this family, although very widely distributed in the 

 Old World, are especially characteristic of the Oriental region, where about 

 half the known species find their home. The Flying Lizards of the genus 

 Draco, of which some 36 species are known, are of special interest through 

 their peculiar powers of locomotion. They spend the greater part of their 

 time in the crowns of the trees, and, being also scarce creatures, they are 

 seldom seen. By means of the expansions of membrane with which the 

 body and throat are furnished, these interesting and often extremely beau- 

 tiful lizards are able to glide through the air with astonishing rapidity, 

 generally in quest of some passing insect. The typical genus (Agama) con- 

 tains 72 species spread over Africa, Southern Asia, and South-eastern 

 Europe. Only two species, A. stellio and caucasica, are found in the latter 

 continent, and these are restricted to the extreme south-eastern portion. 

 One of the most remarkable members of the family is the Frilled Lizard 

 (Chlamydosaurus kingi) of Australia, while another inhabitant of this 

 country, bearing the name of Moloch horridus, is one of the most extra- 

 ordinary-looking Lizards known. 



UROPLATIDiE (Uroplates; 4 Species). Plate 20, Map iii. 



This small group contains only a few species of the genus Uroplates, and 

 these are absolutely confined to Madagascar. They are only separated from 

 the Geckos by certain structural differences in the nasal bones and sternum. 



EUBLEPHARLD^ (Eublepharis, &c. ; 10 Species). 

 Plate 20, Map iii. 



This small group of Lizards is very closely allied to the Geckonidse, and 

 its few members may be distinguished by the possession of distinct mov- 

 able eyelids. On this account they are sometimes spoken of as "Eyelid 

 Geckos." Only five genera are differentiated. Psilodactylus and Holodactylus 

 are the only African genera, with one species each, in West Africa and 

 Somaliland respectively. Coleonyx and Lepidoblepharis, each likewise with 

 a single species, are from Central America and Ecuador respectively. 

 Utiblepharis contains the remaining six species, of which three are Asiatic,, 

 two Central American, and one North American. 



GECKONID^I (Geckos; 500 Species). Plate 20, Map iii. 



The Geckonidse are a vast assemblage, no fewer than 60 genera havino- 

 been formed for the reception of the various species. They are of world- 

 wide distribution, but more abundant in the warmer countries, especially 

 in the Oriental and Australian regions. Over 60 species are enumerated 

 from India, Ceylon and Burma. Europe possesses only about half a dozen 

 species, which are restricted to the countries bordering on the Mediterranean. 

 One of the best known of these is the Turkish Gecko (Hemidactylus 

 turcicus). This species ranges along the whole coast of the Mediterranean, 

 from Southern Portugal to the Grecian Archipelago, occurring on the 

 African side as far south as Senegal, and also in Asia Minor and Persia. 



