Page:Natural History, Reptiles.djvu/106

98 somewhat of the form of a four-sided pyramid. The neck is compressed, the body rounded, but flattened on the under surface. The toes are long, and very unequal, increasing rapidly in length from the innermost to the fourth, which is longest, the fifth being short: their edges are notched. The tail is long, slender, compressed, and tapered to a fine point.

The general surface of the body is covered with small square or lozenge-form scales, keeled along the middle, which slightly overlap each other; those of the tail present at regular intervals verticillations or rings, produced by every fourth or fifth series being a little larger than the others, but this structure ceases to be perceptible towards the tip. The line of scales which runs down the middle of the back and tail, forms a saw-like crest, commencing from the hind-head, and reaching the extremity of the tail. It is composed of strongly compressed scales, which are pointed and curved backwards, and which gradually diminish in height towards the end of the tail. On the top and sides of the head the scales are larger than the rest, but varying in size, many-sided, some flat, some convex, and some ridged: the lips are covered with large four-sided plates. The under surface of the thighs has a single row of pores, surrounded by small scales disposed like the petals of a flower around its disk.

We have already mentioned MM. Duméril and Bibron’s conclusions of the nature of these Reptiles’ food from anatomical investigation. These are confirmed by a fact related of a living Iguana,