ROOM X.] 
NATURAL HISTORY. 
33 
The Agames (Agamidee, Case 4) present several pe¬ 
culiarities of form, and have therefore been separated into 
many groups. Some have the head lyre-shaped, and the 
back and tail crested (Gonyocephalus); others have the 
head armed with spines over the back of the ears, and the 
scales large and directed upwards ( Calotes ), which latter lay 
fusiform eggs. The Bronchoceles differ from the Calotes , 
by the scales of the back being small and horizontal; and 
the Acanthosaura has a square head and long subulate 
spines over the eyes. The true Agamse ( Agama ) have 
often bundles of spines on the sides of the neck. The male 
Sitana has a large pouch under the throat, (which is quite 
wanting in the female,) and they have no hinder thumb. 
The Stellio , which was formerly much esteemed for its sup¬ 
posed medicinal qualities, has bands of large spines round 
its tail. The Trapeli or Mutable Agamse, so called from the 
rapidity with which they change the colour of their skin, are 
generally armed with irregular, spine-like scales. The 
Earless Agamae ( Phrynocephali ) have the same irregular 
scales as the Mutable Agamae, but they differ from them, 
and all the former, by their ears being hidden under the 
skin, as in the Chameleons. The Megalochilus differs 
from the former in the margin of the lips being produced 
and fringed, and the claws very long. The Dragons ( Dra - 
cones) differ from all these by the skin of the sides being 
extended into the form of wings, and supported by the 
end of the ribs. The wings, when the animal is at rest, 
are folded together on the sides of the body, but when 
it leaps from branch to branch they are expanded, and 
act as a parachute; there are several species, differing 
from each other in the length of the throat-pouches, and 
in the colour of the wings. The rest of the Agamidce 
are furnished with a series of minute glands on the under 
side of the hind legs ; as the Gemmatophorce , peculiar to 
New Holland, which have rough scales like the Mutable 
Lizards, and the Lophyri have a crest of large scales on 
the back, which has caused -them to be confounded with 
the Basilisks. Others with these glands, are peculiar for 
having the tail surrounded with verticillate bands of scales. 
In Uromaslyx , the caudal scales are large and spinous ; 
in Leiolepis they are small and smooth. 
c 3 
