208 



GALEOTE LIZARD. 



(who never saw the animal) took his specific de- 

 scription. The colour of the Basilisk is a pale 

 cinereous brown, with some darker variegations 

 towards the upper part of the body. Its length is 

 about a foot and half The young or small spe- 

 cimens have but a slight appearance either of the 

 dorsal or caudal process, or of the pointed occi- 

 putal crest. The Basilisk is principally found in 

 South America, and sometimes considerably ex- 

 ceeds the length before mentioned, measuring 

 three feet, or even more, from the nose to the ex- 

 tremity of the tail. It is said to be an animal of 

 great agility, and is capable of swimming occa- 

 sionally with perfect ease, as well as of springing 

 from tree to tree by the help of its dorsal crest, 

 which it expands in order to support its flight. 



GALEOTE LIZARD. 



Lacerta Calotes. L. cauda tereti longa, dor so antice capifeque 



postice denfato. Lin. Si/st. Nat. p. 367, 

 Lizard with long round tail ; the back dentated on the fore 



part, and the head on the hind part. 

 Lacertus Ceilonicus amphibius, seu Leguana Soa Ajer dicta. 



Seb. 1. p. 149. t. 95. f. 3, 4. 

 Lacerta Ceilonica, &c. Ascalobotes Graecis dicta. Seb. 1 . p. 146. 



t. 93./. 2. 



This species is considerably allied to the com- 

 mon Guana in habit or general appearance ; but 

 is of much smaller size, rarely exceeding the 

 length of a foot and half from the tip of the nose 

 to the extremity of the tail. It is also destitute 



