THE 



MONITORY LIZARD. 



Generic Character. 



Body four-footed, tailed, naked. 



Lin. Syjl. Nat. 



Specific Character, &c. 



BLACK LIZARD, marked with tranfverfe 

 bands of ocellated white fpots. 



This fpecies of Lizard has obtained the name of 

 Monitor, from a circumftance which feems of very 

 doubtful authority. It is pretended that on fight of 

 the crocodile, it fets up a loud and fhrill cry through 

 fear, and thus frequently warns travellers of the vici- 

 nity of that formidable creature. It grows to a con- 

 fiderable fize, and is of a very flender make, and the 

 tail is extremely long. The general colour of the ani- 

 mal is black and white ; the black forming the ground- 

 colour, and the white the variegations, which are dif- 

 pofed in tranfverfe bands of annulated fpots with black 

 centres, and between thefe bands are generally fome 

 narrowifh ftripes of white. On the tail the variega- 

 tions are lefs regular than on the body. The legs 

 and feet are fpotted tranfverfely with white. On the 

 belly the white prevails, which is marked more or lefs 



with 



