EXTINCT OR FOSSIL LIZARDS. l6l 



do in our systematic an-angement, where it will appear 

 that the genus Draco stands as the most aberrant of all, 

 occupying, in this respect, precisely the same situation 

 in the circle of the Agamidce, as the Pterodactyli, or 

 flying lizards, hold in that of the Enalosaures. The 

 intervening forms which appear to connect all these sub- 

 genera with Tropidurus on the one side, and Lyrioce- 

 phalus on the other, will be seen in our synopsis. 



(165.) Some of the most singular shapes among the 

 existing races of reptiles will be found in this family. 

 The Phrynosoma, with its fat body and short tail, im- 

 mediately reminds us of a toad. Megalochilus has much 

 of the same shape, but seems to have a large pair of 

 rounded ears standing out from the sides of the head. 

 Those of the sub-genera of Draco are most extraordinary 

 reptiles : the Sitana has an enormous pouch under the 

 throat, which it can swell out so as to appear like a 

 Tetraodon, or porcupine-fish. Clamydosaurus, again, 

 is provided with an immense fringe round the throat, 

 perfectly resembling the broad collars worn by ladies of 

 the present day. The flying lizards (^Draco\ however, 

 even surpass these, for they possess a distinct pair of 

 wings, attached to the sides of their body, supported by 

 rays, and capable of being expanded or folded at plea- 

 sure. These extraordinary reptiles, however, are by no 

 means formidable : they are all of a comparatively small 

 size, live in trees, and feed only upon insects. Of 

 their peculiar habits, however, in other respects, we un- 

 fortunately are at present ignorant. There can be no 

 doubt that these wings are used to support them in the 

 air, when leaping from bough to bough, much in the 

 same manner as the loose skin performs that office among 

 the flying squirrels. 



(166.) The philosophic naturalist will not fail to 

 perceive that all the peculiarly-formed reptUes contained 

 in the last family, are representations of such other 

 animals only as, in their ov/n circles, come in as the 

 most aberrant type of all the five that form a circular 

 group. Thus the dragons represent the Triglidce among 



VOL. II. M 



