Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 14.djvu/759

 LIZARD 735 it is green, with minute blackish spots. In Germany and France one other species only (Lacerta muralis) appears ; but in the south of Europe the species of Lacerta are much more numerous, the largest and finest being L. ocellata, which grows to a length of 18 or 20 inches, and is brilliantly green, ornamented with blue eye-like spots on the sides. Even the small island-rocks of the Mediterranean, sometimes only a few hundred yards in diameter, are occupied by peculiar races of lizards, which of late years have attracted much attention from the fact that they, like other reptiles, have assumed under such isolated conditions a more or less dark, almost black, coloration. Heloderma horridiim is a Mexican lizard, which in its native country has the reputation of being a most poisonous reptile. Its anterior teeth are, indeed, provided with a deep groove, as in many poisonous snakes, and the submaxillary gland is enormously developed. Sumichrast has recently proved by actual experiment on mammals the fatal effects of the bite of this lizard ; and J. Stein, a traveller in Mexico, who was bitten in the finger, suffered from symptoms similar to those resulting from the bite of a poisonous snake. It thus appears that the fear in which it is held by the natives is not due merely to its hideous appearance, as was formerly believed. Tubercles of a dirty brown and yellow colour, with which its body is covered, give it the appearance of a leprous skin. It is about 20 inches long, and is known by the name of &quot;Escorpion.&quot; The Glass-Snake (Pseudopus pallasii} or Shdtopusik (Russ.) is common in Dalmatia, Hungary, southern Russia, and the western parts of Central Asia. Externally it resembles a snake, the fore limbs being entirely absent, and the hind limbs reduced to small rudiments. It attains to a length of 2 or 3 feet, and feeds on insects, worms, mice, and small birds. In captivity it becomes perfectly tame. North America is inhabited by a very similar glass- snake (Ophisaurus), and North Africa by a third (Hyalosaurus). Limbless lizards are especially common in Australia, but their scutellation is so different from that of the glass-snakes of the northern hemisphere that they are placed in distinct families, which have been noticed in the systematic list (Pygopodidx, Aprasiidse, Lialidse). The family of skinks also includes many genera with rudimentary limbs or without any, the Slow- Worm or Blind- Worm (A nguis fray His) being the one most generally known. It is distributed over the greater part of Europe, and rarely exceeds a length of 15 inches. Its eyes, although small, are perfectly developed and provided with eyelids. It is ovoviviparous ; the young, in the first year of their life, differ considerably from the old in their coloration, the back being of a milk-white colour, with a black line down the middle. In the south of Europe it gradually disappears, and its place is taken by the similarly shaped Seps, a genus distinguished from Anyuis by the presence of four very small rudiments of limbs, which have no function. The Skink, which has given the name to the whole family, is a small lizard (Scincus officinalis) of 6 or 8 inches in length, common in arid districts of North Africa and Syria. A peculiarly wedge-shaped snout, and toes provided with strong fringes, enable this animal to burrow rapidly in and under the sand of the desert. In former times large quantities of it were imported in a dry state into Europe for officinal purposes, the drug having the re putation of being efficacious in diseases of the skin and lungs; and even now it may be found in apothecaries shops in the south of Europe, country people regarding it as a powerful aphrodisiac for cattle. Of the family Iguanidx we refer to three genera only : Iguana, Anolis, and Phrynosoma. Herpetologists dis tinguish several species of Iguana or Leguans, which, how ever, do not appear to differ in their habits. They are found in the forest regions of tropical America only, in the neighbourhood of water, into which when frightened they jump from the overhanging branches of trees, to escape capture by swimming and diving. Feeding ex- FlG. 3. Head of Leguan (Iguana rhinolophus). clusively on leaves or fruits, they are themselves highly esteemed as food, and their eggs also are eagerly searched for by the natives. Iguanas grow to a length of from 2 to 5 feet, and are readily recognized by a row of long compressed and pointed scales which form a more or less high crest along the middle of the back and tail, and by a compressed and pendant dewlap at the throat. These large lizards are strictly arboreal, and of a brilliant colora tion, in which green prevails. The smallest lizards of this family belong to the genus Anolis, extremely numerous as regards species and in dividuals on bushes and trees of tropical America, and especially of the West Indies. They offer many points of analogy to the humming birds in their distribution, colours, and even disposition. Gosse (^1 Naturalist s Sojourn in Jamaica, pp. 75 sq.) has given a vivid and faithful de scription of their manners. Hundreds may be seen on a bright day, disporting themselves on the trees and fences, leaping from branch to branch, fearlessly entering houses, chasing each other, or engaging in combat with some rival. Like the iguanas, they (at least the males) are pro vided with a large, expansible dewlap at the throat, which is brilliantly coloured, and which they display on the slightest provocation. This appendage is merely a fold of the skin, ornamental and sexual, like the wattles of the throat of a gallinaceous bird ; it has no cavity in its interior, and has no communication with the mouth or with the respiratory organs ; it is supported by the posterior horns of the hyoid bone, and can be erected and spread at the will of the animal. The presence of such dewlaps in lizards is always a sign of an excitable temper. The