having a smooth surface, not imbricated, and disposed in transverse lines. The abdominal plates are smooth, and oblong. There are femoral pores.

The Teguixins, or 'Sauve-gardes,' belong to the hotter regions of America; and attain to considerable dimensions, measuring from four, to five or six feet in length. The places which they ordinarily frequent, are plains, and the borders of woods; but they never climb trees. They are found, also, in sandy and arid tracks, where they scrape burrows in the ground, and which serve them for winter dormitories.

Azara, who describes a species, the COMMON TEGUIXIN, (Teguixin monitor, Gray,) under the name of Teyou-gouazou, states, that it lives upon fruits, insects, toads, nestling birds, and eggs, and even small vipers ; it is also reported to eat honey, and that, in order to drive away the bees, it strikes the hive with its tail, then precipitately retreats, and then repeats its blow, till it

has frightened them away. M. Bibron says, "We are

not able to state, whether, as Azara informs us, these Lizards are frugivorous or not; but we are certain that they prey upon insects, for we have found them in the stomachs of all the individuals which we have dissected. On one occasion, we observed the remains of beetles and caterpillars, mingled with portions of the skin and bones of the Common Ameiva," an allied species of Lizard.

According to Azara, the Teguixin is extremely rapid in its actions; when it is pursued, it makes for the nearest lake, or river, and entering, walks along the bottom, but does not swim,* and remains there, until it is satisfied that its aggressor has departed. Azara's statement, that this Lizard does not swim, is doubtful; we can readily admit, that it does not use its feet in swimming; but we have reason to believe, that with its long and

"Il y entre, et y marche sans nager."

powerful tail, it lashes the water from side to side, and thus propels itself along.

The Teguixin bites severely, and will not let go its hold; it seizes its prey, and obstinately retains it.

The writer already quoted states, that rings of skin, stripped from its tail, are worn as preventives against paralysis, from a belief in their efficacy; and that its fat is useful in cases of tumours. Its flesh is accounted

excellent.

GENUS AMEIVA.

The genus Ameiva differs from the preceding in minor particulars only. The tail is not at all compressed, and, together with the abdomen, is covered with transverse ranges of squared scales: those of the abdomen are broader than long. These American Lizards nearly resemble our European species in outward form, and are their representatives in the new world; but they have not a collar of broad scales, those of the throat being all small; their head is more sharply pointed at the muzzle than our Lizards; and they have not, like the latter, an osseous plate over the orbit. The skin of the throat forms one or two folds. The nostrils are oval and oblique. The anterior maxillary teeth are pointed; the posterior are tricuspid.

The Ameivas are seldom found in the vicinity of water; some species indeed, frequent sandy, arid districts exclusively. They live on worms, slugs, snails, and various kinds of insects; and vegetables are not excluded. "We have often found," says M. Bibron," the remains of the leaves of various grasses, in the stomachs of individuals examined by us, and not unfrequently a considerable quantity of grains of sand, and small pebbles."

The COMMON AMEIVA, (Ameiva vulgaris, Licht.; Tejus ameiva, Spix,) (see engraving,) is about a foot and a half in length; it is spread through Brazil and Guiana; and is most agreeably coloured, the general hue being a

fine olive green, or a bluish green, marbled and spotted, in the male with black.

Several other species are described.

Passing over the other genera of this section, which are more or less closely related to those already noticed, and, indeed, have been only very recently separated as distinct, we come to the next section.

II. CELODONTA.

Of this section, the genus Lacerta affords us the most marked and interesting examples.

GENUS LACERTA.

The Lizards (Lacerta) are easily distinguishable by the throat-collar of broad scales; the tongue is long and forked; the scales of the tail are disposed in rings; a minute plate of bone above the orbits protects the eyes; a long row of pores runs down each thigh; the palate is toothed.

Many of the species of this genus are remarkable for their beauty. Of these, one of the most conspicuous is the EYED LIZARD, (Lacerta ocellata,) (see engraving,) of Southern Europe, which attains to about sixteen inches in length; its ground colour is a bright glossy green, ornamented with round spots of gold, and blue, and with rings, and irregular markings of black. This Lizard is found in the South of France, in Italy, Spain, and the northern coast of Africa. While young, it makes burrows in the banks of the fields, especially where the ground is sandy; but, when full-grown, it excavates its retreats in layers of hard sand, often between two beds of calcareous rock, having an abrupt slope, and exposed, more or less, directly to the south, or south-east. It also burrows among the roots of aged trees, in vineyards, or under hedgerows. Worms and insects constitute its food. The actions of this richly tinted species are prompt and rapid; and, as it glances by in the sun, its colours glisten

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