44 
LACERTA. 
simple, yet such is their disposition, that it is 
impossible to survey their general effect 
without admiration. In this respect, how- 
ever, the animal varies perhaps more than 
most others of its tribe. It is commonly 
black, with the abdomen white, the latter co- 
lour extending to some distance up the sides, 
in the form of several pointed bands, besides 
which the whole body is generally ornament- 
ed by several transverse bands consisting of 
white annular spots, while the head is marked 
with various streaks of tiie same colour, the 
limbs with very numerous round spots, and 
the tail with broad, distant, transverse bands. 
It is a native of South America, where it fre- 
quents woody and watery places ; and, if 
credit may be efiven to the reports of some 
authors, is of a disposition as gentle as its ap- 
pearance is beautiful. It has even gained-the 
title of monitor, salvaguarda, &c. from its 
pretended attachment to the human race, 
and it has been said that it warns mankind of 
the approach of the alligator by aloud and 
shrill whistle. 
Cordyles, with either denticulated or spiny 
scales on the body or tail , or both. 
8. Lacerta pelluma, is one -of the middle- 
sized lizards ; the total length being nearly 
two feet, and the length of the body and tail 
nearly equal. It is a native of Chili, where 
it is said to inhabit hollows under ground. It 
is covered on the upper parts with very mi- 
nute scales, and is beautifully variegated with 
green, yellow, blue, and black : the under 
( •arts are of a glossy yellowish-green : the tail 
ong and verticiliated by rows of rhomboid 
scales. The skin of -this lizard is said to be 
used by the Chilians for the purpose of a 
purse. 
9. Lacerta stellio, is remarkable for the 
unusually rough or hispid appearance of its 
whole upper surface; both body, limbs, and 
tail, being covered with pointed scales, pro- 
jecting here and tlnjre to a considerable dis- 
tance beyond the surface, so that it appears 
muricated with spines : the tail is rather 
short than long, and is verticiliated with rows 
of pointed scales. The general colour of the 
animal is a pale blueish-brown, with a few 
deeper and lighter transverse variegations : 
Its general length is about eight inches. It is 
a native of many parts of Africa. 
Lizards proper, smooth, and the greater 
number furnished with broad square plates 
or scales on the abdomen. 
10. Lacerta agilis, green lizard, is found 
in ail the warmer parts of Europe, and seems 
pretty generally diffused over the antient 
continent. It sometimes arrives at a very 
considerable size, measuring more than two 
feet to the extremity of the tail : its more 
o-eneral length, however, is from 10 to in 
inches. In its colours it is the most beautiful 
of all the European lacertae, exhibiting a rich 
and varied mixture of darker and lighter 
green, interspersed with specks and marks of 
yellow, brown, blackish, ancl even sometimes 
red. The green lizard is found in various si- 
tuations, in gardens, about warm walls, 
buildings, &c. and is an extremely active 
animal, pursuing with great celerity its insect 
prey, and escaping with great readiness from 
pursuit when disturbed. If taken, however, 
it is soon observed to become familiar, and 
spay even be tamed to a certain degree ; for 
which reason it is considered as a favourite 
animal in many of the warmer parts of Eu- 
rope. It appears to run into numerous va- 
rieties both as to size and colour ; but in all 
these states the particular characteristics of 
the species are easily ascertained. 
11. Lacerta bullaris, red-throat lizard. 
This, according to Catesby, is usually six 
inches long, and of a shining grass-green co- 
lour. It is common in Jamaica, frequenting 
hedges and trees, but is not seen in houses : 
when approached it'swells its throat into a 
globular form, the protruded skin on that 
part appearing of a bright-red colour, which 
disappears in its withdrawn . r contracted 
state : this action is supposed to be a kind of 
menace, in order to deter its enemy ; but it is 
incapable of doing any mischief by its bite or 
otherwise. See Plate Nat. Hist. fig. 235. 
Chameleons, with granulated skin, missile 
tongue, SfC. 
12. Lacerta chameleon. Few animals 
have been more celebrated by natural histo- 
rians than the chameleon, which has been j 
sometimes said to possess the power of chan- 
ging its colour at pleasure, an i of assimilating 
it to llxat ot any particular object or situa- 
tion. This, however,’ must be received 
with very great limitations ; the change of 
colour which the animal exhibits varying 
in degree according to circumstances of 
health, temperature of the weather, and 
many other causes, and consisting chiefly in 
a sort of alteration of shades from the na- 
tural greenish or- blueish grey of the skin 
into pale yellowish, with irregular spots or 
patches of dull red. 
It is also to be observed, that the natural 
or usual colour of chameleons varies very 
considerably ; some being much darker than 
others, and it has even been seen approach- 
ing to a blackish tinge. An occasional 
change of colour is likewise observable, 
though in a less striking degree, in some 
other lizards. 
The general length of the chameleon, 
from the tip of the nose to the beginning of 
the tail, is about ten inches, and the tail is 
of nearly similar length, but the animal is 
found of various sizes, and sometimes ex- 
ceeds the length above mentioned. It is a 
1 creature of a harmless nature, and supports 
itself by feeding on insects; for which pur- 
pose the structure of the tongue is finely 
adapted, consisting of a long, missile body, 
furnished with a dilated and somewhat tu- 
bular tip, by means of which the animal seizes 
insects with great ease, darting out its 
tongue iu the manner of a woodpecker, and 
retracting it instantaneously with the prey 
secured on its tip. It can also support a 
long abstinence, and hence arose the popu- 
lar idea of the chameleon being nourished 
by air alone. It is found in many parts of 
tiie world, and particularly in India and 
Africa. It is also sometimes seen in the 
warmer parts of Spain and Portugal. 
The general or usual changes of colour in 
the chameleon, are from a blueish ash-co- 
lour, (its natural tinge) to a green and some- 
times yellowish colour, spotted unequally 
with red. If the animal is exposed to a full 
sunshine, the unilluminated side generally 
appears, within the space of some minutes, 
of a pale yfllow, with large roundish patches 
or spots of reel-brown. On reversing the j 
situation of the animal, the same change 
takes place in an opposite direction ; the 
side which was before in the shade now be J 
coining either brown or ash-colour, while I 
the other side becomes yellow and red; but 
these changes are subject to much variety j 
both as to intensity of colours and disposition 
of spots. 
Besides the common chameleon, different j 
races appear to exist, which are principally- 
distinguished by their colour, and the more 
or less elevated state of the angular or crest-; 
ed part of the head. These, which Linmeus 
was content to consider as varieties, are now 
raised to the dignity of species, and are] 
so distinguished in the Gmelinian edition 
of the Systema Natural. 
Geckos, with granulated or tuberculatcd 
skin, iobalea feet, and iocs lamellated 
beneath. 
13. Lacerta gecko. The gecko, said to* 
be so named from the sound of its voice J 
which resembles the above word uttered in a 
shrill tone, is a native of many parts of Asia 
and Africa, as well as of some of the warmer 
regions of Europe. It is one of the middle- 
sized lizards, measuring, in general, about 
a foot in length, or rather more. It is of a 
thicker and stouter form than most other li-] 
zards, having a large and somewhat triangu-j 
lar flatfish head, covered with small scales j 
a wide mouth, large eyes, minute teeth, ancl 
a broad fiat tongue. 'Hie limbs are of mo-j 
derate length, and the feet are of a broaden 
form than the rest of the genus. 
The gecko inhabits obscure recesses, ca- 
verns, old walls, trees, &c. and wanders 
about chiefly on the approach of rain. It is 
considered as of a poisonous nature, a highly 
acrimonious kind of fluid exuding from the 
lamella: of the feet, which remaining on the 
surface of fruit or any other edible substance 
is often productive of troublesome symp- 
toms to those who happen to swallow it. 
From the peculiar structure of its feet, the 
gecko can readily adhere to the smoothest 
surfaces. T iie general colour of the animal 
is pale brown, with a few irregular dusky or 
blueish variegations ; but in those which in- 
habit the warmer regions of the globe, this 
colour seems to be exalted into. a much more 
brilliant appearance. 
14. Lacerta fimbriata. This remarkable 
species seems to have been first described by 
tiie count de Cepede, who informs us that it 
appears in some degree to connect tiie cha- 
meleon, the gecko, and the water-newts ; 
the head, skin, and general form of the body, 
resembling those of the chameleon : the 
tail that of the water-newts, being of a com- 
pressed form, though in a different manner 
(not vertically but horizontally flattened), 
while the feet resemble those of the gecko. 
The largest specimen examined by the 
count de Cepede measured about eigiit 
inches and six lines in length, of which the 
tail measured two inches and four lines. 
The colour of this animal is not constant 
or permanent, as in most lizards, but vari- 
able, as in the chameleon, presenting sucJ 
cessively different shades of red, yellow^ 
green, and blue. This variation of colour 
is, however, confined to the upper surface 
of the animal ; the lower always continuing 
of a bright yellow. These changes, we are 
