199 



Guanas with serrated dorsal crest, ^^c, 



COMMON GUANA. 



Lacerta Iguana. L. cauda tereti longa, dorso serrato, crista gules 

 denticulata. 



Lizard with long round tail, serrated back, and denticulated 

 gular crest. 



Lacerta Iguana. L. cauda tereti longa , sutura dorsali dentata, 



crista gulce denticulata. Lin. Syst. Nat. p. 366. 

 Lacerta Leguan. Bont. Jav. 56. 

 Lacertus Senembi & Iguana. Rq). Quadr. 265. 

 Lcguana. Seb. Mus. 1. t. 95, 96, 97 y SfC. 

 The Great American Guana. 



Though the Lizard tribe affords numerous ex- 

 amples of strange and peculiar form, yet few spe- 

 cies are perhaps more eminent in this respect than 

 the Guana, which grows to a very considerable 

 size, and is often seen of the length of three, four, 

 and even five feet. It is a native of many parts 

 of America and the West-Indian islands, and is 

 also said to occur in some parts of the East Indies. 

 Its general colour is green, but with much varia- 

 tion in the tinge of different individuals : it is 

 generally shaded with brown in some parts of the 

 body, and sometimes this is even the predomi- 

 nating colour. The back of the Guana is very 

 strongly serrated; and this, together with the 

 gular pouch, which it has the power of extending 

 or inflating occasionally to a great degree, gives a 

 formidable appearance to an animal otherwise 

 harmless. It inhabits rocky and woody places, 

 and feeds on insects and vegetables. It is itself 



