THE HABITS OF MALAY REPTILES. 191 
The pretty sand lizard, Ziolepis Bellii, about a foot long, 
and beautifully ornamented with blue and red, is very common 
on the sandy plains of the Pahang river, and I have also seen it 
in Malacca, at Pengkalan Kumpas, and at Bruas, in the Dindings. 
it can be seen sitting in the sun in the heat of the day, sunning 
itself, but never far frm its hole, into which it darts with sur- 
prising rapidity. 
The Chameleon Lizard, Calotes cristatellus, is very common 
in all gardens. Its ordinary colour is bright green, but when 
vexed it turns to a dusky brownish colour, whence its popular 
name. When alarmed it runs very fast on the ground, holding 
up its long whip-like tail, to the nearest tree or post, up which 
it climbs, and if this is not high enough to be safe, springs on 
to a higher one. Ifa human being happen to be in its way, it 
does not delay to run up to his shoulder or head and jump off 
from there. The distance it can jump from tree to tree is very 
considerable, having regard to the size of the animal. It gener- 
ally lays two eggsat a time, but Lieut. Flower fcund females of 
another species, with as many as seven or eight eggs in them, 
the eggs are about an inch long, narrow cylindrical blunt at 
both ends, and enlarged rather abruptly in the middle. They 
are white and leathery. ‘The lizard places them side by side on 
the ground in a dainp spot and leaves them, not attempting to 
conceal them. If attacked by a dog the Ca/otes runs for a short 
distance, and then turns and rushes at its enemy with open 
mouth, springing at its nose and biting sharply, but is soon tired 
out and killed. In spite of its teeth and the spines that protect 
its head and neck, it frequently falls a victim to the attacks of 
sparrow-hawks and snakes, and the Monitor is also very fond of 
it. The Malays hold it somewhat in horror, as being one of 
the forms in which wizards send out their imps to annoy their 
enemies. 
The flying lizard, Draco volans, isat times very common. 
It appears to move about ip flights, for while perhaps for some 
months hardly any are to be seen, at other times one may see 
half a dozen ina morning, They appear usually in the hottest 
part of the day, sailing from tree to tree, always selecting trees 
with grey smooth bark of the same colouring as themselves. 
Furthermore they nearly always choose the same trees for their 
