476 



" Zelgaga" The male is decidedly larger than the female, and has 

 its shoulders and sides covered with blackish spots, while the female 

 is of a uniform sand colour. I never observed it among rocks or 

 elsewhere than in the sands of the Sahara, in some parts of which it 

 literally swarms. It hybernates under ground through the winter, 

 when it can easily be dug out of its holes. In summer it may con- 

 stantly be seen basking in the sun, and attracting attention by the 

 glittering of its bright scales. I have also frequently observed it 

 by moonlight. When alarmed, it wriggles for a moment and dis- 

 appears beneath the sand with a magical rapidity. 



Its food appears to consist exclusively of beetles, ants, and other 

 insects, and the Arabs state that it often devours even scorpions. 



It is a very favourite article both of diet and medicine, and in 

 many of the oases, as Waregla and Touat, its capture is the occupa- 

 tion of a considerable portion of the population. Fried fresh with 

 ghee, it is by no means an unsavoury dish, as I can vouch from ex- 

 perience, but I cannot say as much for the paste into which it is 

 usually made up. The Arabs skin and dry it in large quantities, 

 then pound it very fine in a mortar, after which it is mixed with a 

 mass of stoned dates, and compressed very tightly in skin-bags, when 

 it keeps fresh for months, and is a not unimportant article of com- 

 merce with the Touat Caravans, and with the Chambaa of Metlili. 



Cham^leo vulgaris. 



Occurs generally among the Tamarisk trees of the Weds, and is 

 more abundant in the north than in the south of the Sahara. It 

 may often be observed hanging motionless by its tail from a topmost 

 bough. I frequently kept them alive for some time, when they fed 

 themselves on mosquitoes ; but the cold of the Tell proved fatal, sooner 

 or later, to all my specimens. 



Lacerta ocellata, " H'Ardoun and Boulien" Arabic. 



In habits and resorts like our common Lizard. I have watched 

 it climb trees and attack the nest of A'edon galactodes. 



Seps tridactylus. 



Does not occur in the sand, but only among vegetation. I never 

 observed it take refuge in holes or under ground, but only among the 

 roots of grass or rushes. It moves with great rapidity, twisting 

 itself more after the fashion of a serpent than a lizard. Its bite is 

 perfectly harmless. 



Tarentola mauritanica. 



Resorts chiefly to the base of the cliffs in the weds and gorges of 

 the M'zab. Though not uncommon, it is not easy to detect, covered 

 as it usually is with the sand and debris of the limestone. 



Haligenes tristram i, Giinther. 



This fish is found in great abundance in the salt lake near 



