6 
Lizards. REPTILES. Lizards. 
Order 1. — Tortoises [Chelonia), from the Greek word 
cTielone a tortoise. 
Body short, depressed ; the bones of the thorax ex- 
ternal, surrounding the muscles of the body like a case, 
out of which the head, limbs, and tail are protruded; 
jaws toothless, covered with a horny coat (like a bill) ; 
the upper bill covers the lower like a box. 
This order contains the Land Tortoises, the Terraperis 
or River Tortoises, the Soft Tortoises, and the Turtles, 
&c. 
Order 2. — Ckocodii.es and Alligators {Emydosauri), 
from the Greek words emys, emydos {tn-u;, tf^uios), 
a lizard, and sauros (a-xv^cs), a lizard. 
Body spindle-shaped, covered with square bony plates 
placed in longitudinal lines. Head large ; jaws with 
teeth. Limbs four, free, short ; tail compressed. 
This order is composed of the Crocodiles and Alli- 
gators. 
Order 3.— Amphisbasnians {Amphishmnid), Rom the Greek 
words ampliis both ways ; and baino 
to walk. 
Body elongate, cylindrical, covered with square im- 
bedded plates placed in cross rows. Tail short, con- 
tinuous, blunt. Limbs none, or very short, and placed 
anteriorly, weak ; jaws with teeth. 
This order contains the Ampliisbcenas or Double- 
walkers, the Trigonophes, the Ckirotes, or Two-handed 
worm, &o. 
Such is a general sketch of the an-angement we 
I propose to adopt of the Class Reptiles. 
Order I.— LIZARDS (Sauria). 
The first order, that of the Saurians or Lizards, is 
what may be termed the typical order of the class. 
The species included in it, have more affinity with the 
Mammalia, both in the variety and rapidity of their 
movements, than any others; for we find amongst 
them, animals which creep, walk, run, climb, swim, 
dive, and even, to a certain extent, fly. Not hut what 
the essential external characters of the class to which 
they belong are sufficiently apparent and ivell stamped. 
For though examples do occur in their ranks of crea- 
tures that are capable of executing a great variety of 
movements, yet the elongated and proportionately 
bulky body of the greater number, supported upon 
their short limbs with ap[)arent difficulty, constrains 
them to walk slowly and with an air of embarrassment, 
very different from the light gait of the generality of 
mammiferous quadrupeds. Their arms and thighs are 
short, slender, but slightly muscular, and jointed so as 
to have a direction outwardly, while the elbows and 
knees are too angular, and the legs too far asunder 
from each other, to support with ease, when in a state 
of repose, the superincumbent weight of their body. 
They vary very much in habits and manner of living, 
and their organs of motion are always in harmony with 
these, and the particular situations for which they are 
designed. Some have slender and highly-developed 
toes, with a long, conical, and pointed tail, like the true 
Lizards. These are evidently fitted for an exclusively 
terrestrial mode of life, and a residence in sandy plains 
or stony deserts. Others have their toes expanded on 
their under surface, short thick feet and tail, and a 
broad flattened form of body, like the Geckos. These 
creatures are clearly thus constructed to enable them 
to adhere to smooth surfaces, to tiaverse walls or ceil- 
ings like a fly, and to remain fixed there for any length 
of time. 
In a third set we see membranous expansions on 
each side of the body, supported by elongated ribs, and 
capable of being spread out like a fan, as in the Dragons. 
T'hese are evidently formed for balancing themselves 
in the air, as if by means of a parachute, and darting, 
by long flying lea))8, from one branch or tree to another. 
In another group still we find animals endowed with, 
comparatively speaking, long and slender feet, the toes 
placed in opposite directions, like pincers, and a pre- 
hensile tail, as the Chameleons. These animals, it 
may at once be seen, are well adapted for climbing 
trees and perching upon the branches like birds. 
Finally, several genera occur, the species of which 
have a serpent-like form, and are either almost deprived 
of feet or have them exceedingly short, as the Blind 
Worm, the Glass Snake, &c. These animals, we may 
therefore at once conclude, are destined to live in 
ground covered with herbage, and glide along like the 
snakes to which they bear such a striking general 
resemblance. The Saurian reptiles, in general, have 
the body of a lengthened form, in proportion to the 
size of the other parts of their frame. This arises from 
the great number of separate bones, or vertebrce, of which 
their spine is composed ; these amounting sometimes, 
in species with long tails, as the Iguanas, &c., to the 
number of one hundred and forty separate pieces, and 
even in those with very short tails, to upwards ot forty. 
With the exception of a few abnormal forms, they have 
four short legs, and their toes are armed with claws. 
Their skin is covered with scales of various sizes and 
figures, or with granulations. They shed their skin several 
times in the course of the year. This takes place espe- 
cially in the spring, after which they appear in brighter 
colours — the male particularly so. The brain is only 
moderately developed in the Saurian reptiles, as is also 
the case with the various organs of sense, except that 
of sight. They are cenacious of life, and even when 
their head is cut off, they do not die immediately. If 
the tail or feet are amputated, they are not fatally 
injured in consequence, but on the contrary the lost 
parts are after a short time reproduced. As the skin 
and feet are covered with hard scales, it follows that 
the sense of touch must be very imperfect ; and as 
they live exclusively upon living animals, which they 
seize the moment they see them, it may he easily con- 
ceived that the organ of smell is but slightly developed, 
that sense not being much required. The sense of 
taste is in like manner very slightly developed ; for, as 
they do not masticate their food, and have very little 
saliva, a keen perception of the flavour of the articles 
of which their diet consists, is not required. They all, 
I however, have a tongue, whii-h is in general pretty 
