The Garkiques. REPTILES. Shield Lizards. 15 
Bleep surfaces of these slopes, with great rapidity. It 
they can creep. They may be often seen during the 
feeds upon small insects.” 
day, enjoying the heat of the sun, and occasionally 
THE GAERIQUES (Psammodromus Edwardsii) is a 
darting upon insects which form their food. They vary 
species common in tlie soutli of France and Spain. 
in size from about live inches to seven or eight ; the 
Duges, in mentioning the habits of this animal, says. 
tail generally measuring about twice the length of the 
that it is found in the environs of Montpellier, in the 
body. 
sterile, mountainous districts called by the inhabitants 
THE CORDYLES {Zonuridcc)* form a tolerably numer- 
“ garrigues," and that it is also very common in the fiat 
ous family. They are very like the True Lizards just 
sandy shores of the Mediterranean. There it hollows 
described, but the back and belly are covered with 
out, at the foot of a tuft of rushes, a shallow, cylindrical 
large, nearly square shields, and the sides, which are 
hole, towards wdiich it darts with the rapidity of an 
only dilated when the animal has eaten a full meal, are 
arrow, at the approach of danger. The rapidity of its 
marked with a distinct longitudinal fold, and covered 
flight is so great, that it almost escapes the sight, and 
with small scales. The tongue is flat, and nicked at 
might cause it to be taken for some large insect flying 
the tip. They have generally four pretty strong legs. 
close to the ground. 
but in some they are either rudimentary or entirely 
THE EREMIAS, or Argutas {Eremins), are for the 
wanting. Eighteen distinct genera are enumerated by 
most part natives of South Africa. Sir Andrew Smith, 
Dr. Gray in the British Museum Catalogue of Lizards, 
in his “ Illustrations of South African Zoology,” has 
the chief characters being taken from the form and 
described eight or nine species found in the neighbour- 
disposition of the scales of the head and body. Several 
hood of the Cape of Good Hope and other parts of 
species are natives of South Africa, and have been 
the colony. He tells us that they inhabit arid, sandy 
described at some length by Sir Andrew Smith. 
flats, and that they are wild, extremely watchful, and 
THE SHIELDED ZONURE {Zonurus cataphractus) 
move from place to place with great rapidity. When 
— fig. 5 — and THE FALSE CORDYLE {Pseudocordylus 
frightened, the}' conceal themselves under loose stones. 
microlepidotus) are found inhabiting rocky situations. 
decayed wood, or any other material beneath which 
I'iS 
and when they have a choice, they invariably prefer 
5. 
lHHP 
The shielded Zonure (Zonurus cataphractus). 
precipices and the stony walls of difficultly acces- 
ated themselves. Some of the species, as the Bough- 
sible ravines. In these situations, they wander 
scaled Cordyle {Zonurus cordylus), are very widely 
carelessly in search of food and warmth, unless 
distributed over Southern Africa, and, as Sir A. Smith 
alarmed b}' what they may regard as enemies. On 
informs us, “ there is scarcely a strong knoll, a pre- 
being closely approached in their retreats, they seek 
cipice, or an exposed rock, which docs not afford a 
concealment under rocks or in crevices ; and when 
habitat for one, two, or more individuals.” They vary 
they get into such positions they are with difficulty 
from six to eighteen inches in length, the tail being 
captured, as by aid of the prominences on the hinder- 
generally longer than the body, and spined. 
edge of each temple, they hold on with a tenacity 
which is quite suiqirizing, and by them they occasionally 
offer such an effectual resistance to the force applied 
from behind, that the tail breaks off from the body 
THE SHIELD LIZARDS {G errhosauri)-\ are allied 
species, but the tail is smooth instead of being spiny. 
They are found in sandy arid districts in South Africa. 
'before the reptile is secured. Indeed, to effect their 
* From the two Greek words, gona a band, and oura 
capture, it is often necessary to displace the masses of 
{ovsoi)^ a tail. 
t From the two Greek words, gerron a shield, and 
1 
stones between which tire creatures may have insinu- 
savros [irccu^es), a lizard. 
