it seems not only to be the common noise of the reptiles, but also their love song, which they emit frequently and freely in the pairing season. The history of the pairing is not very complete, but there are some reasons for concluding that they are polygamous. The males engage in fierce though uncouth battles at that season, and not, as has been observed, at any other; and the fair inference is that these are battles of gallantry. They usually take place in the water, though in the shallows rather than the depths; and, at first at least, they are bouts of cudgel-play, rather than battles with the teeth. When it comes to the latter, they are desperate, and the death of one, sometimes of both, is inevitable. It is said that the alligator can give no second bite, and as little is it disposed to leave the first one till the object which it seizes is fairly under water. The jaws close in the same manner as those of the biting turtles, and they can with difficulty be wrenched asunder, even by a lever of considerable length.

On some occasions the alligators beset the mouth of some retired creek, into which they have previously driven the fish, bellowing so loud that they may be heard at the distance of a mile. To catch the fish they dive under the shoal, and having secured one, rise to the surface, toss it into the air to get rid of the water which they necessarily take in along with it, and catch it again in its descent. When, however, they succeed in capturing a land animal which is too large to be swallowed at a single mouthful, they conceal the body beneath the bank till it begins to putrefy, for as their teeth are not formed for cutting or masticating, they are unable to tear the tough flesh in its fresh state; it is then dragged on shore and devoured at leisure.

When about to lay, the female digs a deep hole in the sand, and deposits her eggs in layers, separated from one another by intervening strata of leaves and dry grass. It would appear that she lays only one batch of eggs during the same season, though in the hottest parts of South America, according to Laborde, the caiman of Surinam and Cayenne lays at two or even three. different periods of the year; but as each batch is said to consist of only twenty or twenty-five eggs, it is probable that the whole does not exceed the number usually assigned to the common alligator. The female of this latter species, it is said, never loses sight of her nest till the young are hatched, and for months afterward affords them the most unremitting care and protection. This species is frequently found up the Mississippi, even beyond the Red River. In general, it buries itself under the mud, at the bottom of the swamps and marshes which it inhabits, as soon as the cold weather fairly sets in, and continues in a lethargic sleep till the return of spring. During the very severe frosts, sensation is so completely suspended that the body of the animal may be cut into slices without dispelling his lethargy; yet it is never actually frozen, and the partial return of a few hours' bright sunshine is at all times sufficient to restore suspended ani

mation.

It is particularly in the rivers, lagoons, and swamps of Florida, Georgia, and Louisiana that the alligator reaches its greatest dimensions. Bartram found immense numbers of alligators and fish in a mineral spring near the Musquito River, in Florida, though the water, at its exit from the earth, was nearly at the boiling point, and strongly impregnated with copper and vitriol. Genus CAIMAN: Caiman.-This includes two or three species, the most noted of which is the COMMON CAIMAN or ALLIGATOR OF SURINAM AND GUIANA, C. palpebrosus. It does not attain so great a size as the preceding, nor is it so fierce and voracious. It will not attack a man on the land, nor in the water so long as he moves his legs and arms. The female deposits her eggs in a single layer, covers them slightly with sand, and then leaves them, taking no notice even of the progeny. Other species are the TRIGONAL CAIMAN, C. trigonatus, and the SWOLLEN-Headed CAIMAN, C. gibbiceps, both found in tropical America.

Genus JACARE: Jacare. This also includes several species, also called Jacaré and Yacare, by different authors. They appear to be extensively spread over tropical America, but are most common in the rivers of Brazil. These are never known to attack men or dogs in passing the rivers, unless it should happen to be near the place where they have deposited their eggs; and even then, they do not prey upon the body, but content themselves with the fish and water-fowl which they find so plentiful in their own element. During the night they are exceedingly active, and always keep in the water, showing only their heads above the surface, but toward the middle of the day they come ashore to enjoy the heat of the sun; they then sleep profoundly, but always retreat to the water on being disturbed. The eggs are about the size of those of a goose; they are white, and much sought after by the Indians, who eat them and also the flesh of the animal, though it has a strong musky smell, and scarcely any juice. The female deposits her eggs in the sand in a single layer, and covers them with straw or leaves; few of them, however, escape the quick eye of the vulturc, and even many of the young fall a prey to the full-grown males, which at the period of their first appearance, in the hottest part of summer, are particularly fierce and ravenous, the marshes which they inhabit being then dried up, and their food difficult to obtain. The species of Jacare or Yacare are the BROAD-HEADED YACARE, J. fissipes; the YACARE, J. sclerops; the BLACK YACARE, J. nigra; the SPOTTED YACARE, J. punctulatus; and NATTERER'S YACARE, J. vallifrons.

As a general rule the animals of this order have four well-developed legs, and come under the popular designation of Lizards; but there is a considerable number grouped with these which

do not possess these organs, and might, perhaps, with equal propriety, be classed with the Ophidia. The prominent characteristics of the true Sauria are, that the bones of the upper jaw and the face are firmly attached to the skull, so that they are incapable of any independent motion, and the lower jaw moves only from a single point; both jaws are armed with teeth, generally confined to the jaws; in some the tongue is long, slender, horny, bifid, and inclosed in a sheath, from which it can be protruded at pleasure; in others it is thick, fleshy, and attached to the back of the mouth. The development of the extremities is variable, some being as destitute of external limbs as the snakes; others have them well developed.

The immense number and great variety of these animals render their classification a matter of some difficulty; we shall not attempt to follow the details of any of the various systems. In our descriptions of species we can give but comparatively few examples; these, however, will convey an adequate idea of the whole. We shall present them under the following heads: the Typhlopida, Amphisbænidæ, Gymnophthalmida, Scincida, Chalcido, Lacertida, Ameividæ, Varanidæ, Geckotidæ, Iguanidæ, Agamidæ, and Chameleontida.

THE TYPHLOPIDA.

These creatures derive their name from Typhlos and ops, words signifying "having a blind appearance," and this truly characterizes the family. They are small snake or worm-like animals, nearly cylindrical in form, and quite destitute of limbs; the head is covered with shields, and the tail is short and rounded off at the end; the tongue is long and forked. The eye is reduced to a point, and is scarcely visible through the skin. One species, the Typhlops braminus, has the head of the size of the body, and is compared by Cuvier to a small piece of fine pack-thread. Another, the T. Philippinus, is eight inches long, of a blackish color, and is entirely blind. These creatures are found in the hot parts of both continents. They live in holes in the ground and under stones, and sometimes bury themselves three feet deep during the rainy season.

THE AMPHISBÆNIDÆ.

The term Amphisbæna signifies an "animal that can walk in both directions," and is applied to this family because they proceed either backward or forward, as occasion may require. This habit has given rise to the idea that they have two heads, and consequently they have been called Double-headed serpents. Many superstitions in regard to them were formerly current; one species.

which was blind was said to be fed by ants, and was called King of the Ants, and their flesh, dried and powdered, was esteemed a cure for broken or dislocated bones.

These creatures have a vermiform appearance; the skin is annulated and divided into square shields by transverse and longitudinal furrows. The head is of the same size as the neck, and the tail is rounded off. The tongue is thick, short, and not sheathed; the eyes are small, destitute of eyelids, and sometimes hidden under the skin; the majority are quite destitute of limbs; they live in the ground, and feed upon insects. The only known species are found in the hot parts of South America.

Genus AMPHISBÆNA: Amphisbæna. This includes the BROWN AMPHISBÆNA, A. fuliginosa, eighteen to twenty-four inches long, of a brown color, the body surrounded by over two hundred rings; the eyes covered by a membrane, though the animal is not blind. It lives on worms and insects, particularly ants, in the hills of which it usually conceals itself. It has no fangs, and

THE BROWN AMPHISBÆNA.

is perfectly harmless. Found in Brazil and Surinam. The WHITE AMPHISBÆNA, A. alba, resembles the preceding, and is found in the same localities. The A. cœca, found in Martinique, appears to be entirely blind.

Genus CHIROTES: Chirotes.-This presents only a single species, C. lumbricoides, eight inches long, and found in Mexico.

THE GYMNOPHTHALMIDÆ.

This term, signifying naked eyes, refers to the fact that the eyes of the family are without eyelids; the body is extremely elongated, and snake-like; the skin is covered with regular scales; the mouth wide; the legs variously developed, some species having four, some two, and some none. The Gymnophthalmi have four weak legs; the Pygopi have two scale-like legs set far back, and the Aprasia are entirely destitute of these extremities. These animals are chiefly found in Australia, but one or two are found in Eastern Europe, and one in the West Indies.

THE SCINCIDÆ.

The animals of this family, of which the Skink—a species of small lizard-is the type, are furnished with well-formed eyes and distinct eyelids; the limbs are variously developed, some having legs and feet, and others being entirely footless, like snakes and worms.

Genus ANGUIS: Anguis.-This includes the SLOW-WORM, A. fragilis, common in all Europe,

sometimes called Blind Worm
in England, and Long Cripple in
Cornwall; the French call it
Orvet. It appears like a small
snake, but its internal structure
is that of the lizards. It is
twelve to fifteen inches long;
feeds on small slugs and earth-
worms, even those six or seven
inches long. In winter it buries
itself under leaves or loose soil,
and remains torpid till spring.
It is harmless and timid, and so
brittle that if taken by the tail
this extremity separates, and the
creature escapes.
This brittle-
ness is possessed by many lizards.
The GLASS-SNAKE, A. ventralis
of Linnæus, Ophisaurus ventralis
of Daudin, is included in this
genus by many naturalists. It
has, in fact, the head of a lizard,
with a serpentine body. Its color
is yellowish-green above, marked
with black spots; its length about
eighteen inches; the skin smooth
and shiny. The great peculiarity
several pieces, like a fragment of

of this species is, that when struck with a stick it breaks into
glass. It is perfectly harmless, and is found in the woods of the Southern States.

Genus SCINCUS: Scincus, includes the SKINK, S. officinalis, nine inches long; it has four legs, and runs with great agility, burying itself quickly in the sand when pursued. The ancients attributed extraordinary medicinal virtues to this animal, which was salted, dried, and sold in the apothecaries' shops. Found in Egypt, Arabia, and Nubia.

The BLUE-TAILED SKINK, S. fasciatus-sometimes called the Striped Lizard-is six to eight

inches long; color bluish-black; feeds on insects; is often found under the bark of trees, and is perfectly harmless. It is met with from Massachusetts to New York.

Genus CELESTUS: Celestus, includes the GALLIWASP, C. occiduus, of the West Indies, a small, harmless lizard, though an object of dread to the inhabitants.

Genus PLESTIODON: Plestiodon. To this belongs the P. erythrocephalus, which lives in holes of trees, often at a height of thirty or forty feet from the ground, where it frequently takes possession of the deserted nest of a woodpecker. When disturbed, the lizard puts out his head, which is very large and of a bright red color, in a most threatening manner; and when captured, its powerful jaws and strong teeth enable it to inflict a severe wound, although it is not venomous, as commonly supposed. Found in the Southern United States. There are several other species in the Middle, Western, and Southern States.

Genus TROPIDOLEPIS: Tropidolepis.-This includes the BROWN SWIFT, T. undulatus, five to eight inches long; brown above, beneath green. It is very agile, perfectly harmless, lives in woods, and feeds on insects. It is sometimes called the Pine-Lizard, and also the Brown Scorpion. Found in the Southern States.

THE CHALCIDÆ.

This family derives its name from a Greek town, Chalkis. The same variety of limbs belong to it as to the preceding. Instead of the imbricated, bony scales of the skinks, however, these have the common reptilian scales, arranged in regular transverse rows. The eyelids are always present, the ears exposed, the tongue short, fleshy, and notched at the tip. Species are found in Asia, Africa, Europe, and South America.

Genus PSEUDOPUS: Pseudopus.-This includes the SCHELTOPUSIK, P. Pallasii, which has two rudimentary hind-legs; found in Southeastern Europe.

Genus CHAMASAURA: Chamasaura.-To this belongs the ANGUINE LIZARD, C'. anguina -Lacerta anguina of Linnæus, and made the type of a distinct family by Dr. J. E. Gray. The body is covered with elongated, keeled scales, in longitudinal series. The feet are four in number, exceedingly small, with a single toe to each. It is found at the Cape of Good Hope.

THE LACERTIDÆ.

These have the body clothed with scales, and the head with large, regular plates; the head is distinctly separated from the neck, which is never furnished with a pouch under the throat, or with any other appendages; the eyes are provided with a pair of movable eyelids, and also