370 BEPTILIA. 



The Gallywasp [Australian Gaily wasp of Shaw {Cyclodus JVhitei), 

 Trachysaurus, Gray] . 



The oesophagus is very large, and only dilates a little to form the 

 stomach. The stomach, being but a continuation of the oesophagus a 

 little enlarged [and thickened], lies in the same direction: towards 

 its lower end it gradually contracts to form the pylorus : it hardly can 

 be said to bend to the right at this part. The pylorus would appear to 

 be no more than a valvular contraction of the stomach. The duodenum 

 bends to the right and a little upwards upon the last part of the 

 stomach ; thence the gut passes down to the anus, making several bend- 

 ings or folds upon itself. There is no caecum, and no colon. The heart 

 accords "with the Tricoilia : it sends off two aortas, which join to form 

 one as they descend. The lungs are as in the lizard. There are two 

 glands on the lower part of the neck, or beginning of the thorax, 

 similar to those in birds. There are two penises, as in the lizard. 



The stomach contained broken snail-shells, some snails with part of 

 the shell on them, bits of skins of lizards, grubs, and a great quantity 

 of a kind of fruit which had a hard shell in its centre : but these 

 appeared not to be digestible, as they were all whole, and a great 

 number of them were in the last gut. 



Quaere : Perhaps it fed upon these, after being caught, contrary to its 

 inclination '? 



The Lacerta Gecko, Banks 1 [Platydactylus guttatus, Cuv.]. 



This is a fiat lizard, with a short body, making an approach (in 

 appearance) to the toad. The head is much the shape of that of the 

 toad, with raised orbits. The scales terminate in pretty sharp points ; 

 some of them about the back and lateral parts of the head and on the 

 side of the neck are like prickles ; on the legs and tail the scales are 

 thick and strong, with a ridge all along the back of the tail, somewhat 

 higher than the others. The colour is dark, but studded with yellow 

 spots, especially about the legs, head, and tail, with a yellow ridge or 

 line along the back from the nape of the neck to the root of the tail. 

 There are scales on the eyelids, and it has a membrana nictitans. 

 There are five toes on the fore-foot, the middle the longest : also five on 

 the hind-foot, but not so regular, two being of nearly equal length ; 

 and the little toe stands at some distance from the other, rather like a 



1 [No doubt Sir Joseph Banks, P.E.S., who had supplied Hunter with the Linnean 

 name of this lizard.] 



