GIRDLED LIZARDS. 
T 43 
broad as long, and the body remarkable for its extreme plumpness. Measuring a 
little over 5 inches in length, this species is rather handsomely coloured. Above, 
the ground-colour is greyish or brownish, with a more or less well-marked light 
stripe down the back, and dark brown spots at the bases of the larger spines; 
while there are likewise markings of the same colour on the nape and head. 
Beneath, the hue is yellowish, with or without a few small brown spots. In two 
species of the genus (e.g. P. taurus ) the tail does not exceed the head in length. 
The common species is found locally in sandy districts both on the plains and 
mountains, and is in some places abundant, although from its coloration frequently 
escaping notice. In spite of its somewhat formidable appearance, it is a harmless 
creature, not attempting to bite even when captured. Lacking the protrusive 
tongue of the chamseleon, and being debarred by its clumsy form from running 
fast, the horned lizard is unable to capture the swifter insects, and consequently 
preys upon sand-haunting beetles, whose speed is inferior to its own; such prey 
being generally captured in the evening, and the creature lying passive on the 
sand during the day. Some species of horned lizards are remarkable as being 
the only members of the family, save one other genus, which produce living- 
young; the number of young being in some instances as many as twenty-four. 
Always small feeders, these lizards are capable of undergoing long fasts with 
impunity; and as they are habituated to a dry atmosphere, and probably never 
drink, they may be sent packed in wadding long distances by post. 
The most remarkable peculiarity connected with these lizards is their habit of 
ejecting jets of blood from the eyes, apparently as a means of defence. The 
following letter from Mr. Y. Bailey, written from California, in 1891, describes the 
phenomenon as first observed by him : “ I caught a horned toad to-day that very 
much surprised Dr. Fisher and myself by squirting blood from its eyes. It was 
on smooth ground, and not in brush or weeds. I caught it with my hand, and 
just got my fingers on its tail as it ran. On taking it in my hand, a little jet of 
blood spurted from one eye, a distance of fifteen inches, and spattered on my 
shoulder. Turning it over to examine the eye, another stream spurted from the 
other eye. This he did four or five times from both eyes, until my hands, clothes, 
and gun were sprinkled over with fine drops of bright red blood. I put it in a 
bag, and carried it to camp, where, about four hours later, I showed it to Dr. 
Fisher, when it spurted three more streams from its eyes.” The phenomenon has 
been subsequently observed in other specimens. 
The Girdled Lizards. 
Family ZoNUTABJE. 
Omitting mention of a family represented only by one genus ( Xenosaurus ) and 
one species from Mexico, the next group for consideration is that of the girdled 
lizards, from Tropical and South Africa, and Madagascar, of which there are four 
genera. These lizards, which may be either snake-like in form, or provided with 
four fully-developed limbs, differ from all those hitherto described, with the 
exception of certain geckos, in having the temporal fossae of the skull roofed over 
