120 
LIZARDS. 
True Agamas. 
an allied species ( C. ophiomachus), from India and Ceylon, turns brilliant red over 
the head and neck, the body at the same time becoming pale yellow; hence it 
is popularly known as the “ blood-sucker.” 
Ceylon Homed Three remarkable lizards from Ceylon, constituting the genus 
Lizards. Ceratophora, and belonging to a group in which the aperture of the 
ear is concealed, derive their name from carrying a more or less elongated horn¬ 
like process on the nose, at least in the male sex; the neck and back being devoid 
of a crest. One of the species, which attains a length of about 10 inches, has a 
horn measuring half an inch. These lizards appear to be very rare, one of the 
species being confined to mountain districts. 
For want of a distinct English title, we are compelled to designate 
the members of the genus Agavia collectively by anglicising their 
scientific name. Distinguished from all the previously noticed forms and their 
allies, with the exception of the flying lizards, by their more or less depressed 
bodies, agamas are especially characterised by the exposed aperture of the ear, and 
the presence of large callous scales in front of the vent in the males. The crest 
on the back is, at most, but small, and may be wanting; while each side of the 
throat has a pit, and there is likewise a transverse fold across this part. A sac- 
like appendage may or may not occur beneath the throat, and the moderately 
long tail may be either cylindrical or slightly compressed. Less important 
characters are to be found in the form of the head, which is short and triangular, 
very broad behind, and rounded at the muzzle, as well as in the relative length 
and slenderness of the limbs. The head is covered above with small, smooth scales; 
those on the back are overlapping and keeled; while on the tail the scales may be 
either simply overlapping or arranged in whorls. 
The distribution of the genus is somewhat peculiar, impinging on South-Eastern 
Europe, and embracing the greater part of South-Eastern Asia, as well as the whole 
of Africa, but excluding India proper, together with Ceylon and Burma, although 
including the Punjab, Sind, and the Himalaya. As indicated by their depressed 
bodies, agamas are mainly ground-lizards, generally frequenting barren localities 
or rocks, although a few species resort to shrubs. The circular pupil of their eyes 
is equally indicative of diurnal habits; and a large number of species are fond of 
basking on rocks in the full glare of the sun. In such situations, as in the valleys 
around Kashmir, they may be seen in numbers on almost every roadside mass of 
rock, where their extreme agility renders them very difficult to capture; the best 
method, according to the writer’s experience, when specimens are required for 
preservation, being to strike with the lash of a hunting-whip, whereby they are 
instantaneously stunned or killed. As regards food, all appear to be insectivorous. 
From among rather more than forty representatives of the genus, 
three are selected for especial notice. The first of these is the armed 
agama (A. armata) of South Africa, which is represented in the figure opposite, 
and attains a total length of some 20 inches, of which rather more than 6 are 
occupied by the tail. Belonging to the second great group of the genus, or that in 
which the occipital or hindmost median scale on the top of the head is enlarged, 
this species is characterised by the spinose scales on the back being of unequal size, 
by the aperture of the ear being larger than the eye, by the fifth toe being as long 
Armed Agama. 
