Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia — Vol. 2: Performed between the years 1818 and 1822King, Philip Parker
History
Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia — Vol. 2: Performed between the years 1818 and 1822
King, Philip Parker
Australia -- Description and travel; Natural history -- Australia
This interesting lizard was found by Mr. Allan Cunningham, who
accompanied the expedition as His Majesty's Botanical Collector for Kew
Gardens, on the branch of a tree in Careening Bay, at the bottom of Port
Nelson. (See volume 1.) It was sent by him to Sir Everard Home, by whom
it was deposited in the Museum of the College of Surgeons,* which
precluded my examination of its internal structure.
(*Footnote. Upon application to the Board of Curators of the College, I
was permitted to have a drawing made of this curious and unique specimen
for the Appendix of my work. The plate was engraved by Mr. Curtis, from
an exceedingly correct drawing made by my friend, Henry C. Field,
Esquire. P.P.K.)
Respecting this remarkable Lizard, Mr. Cunningham's journal contains the
following remarks. "I secured a lizard of extraordinary appearance, which
had perched itself upon the stem of a small decayed tree. It had a
curious crenated membrane like a ruff or tippet round its neck, covering
its shoulders, and when expanded, which it was enabled to do by means of
transverse slender cartilages, spreads five inches in the form of an open
umbrella. I regret that my eagerness to secure so interesting an animal
did not admit of sufficient time to allow the lizard to show by its alarm
or irritability how far it depended upon, or what use it made of, this
extraordinary membrane when its life was threatened. Its head was rather
large, and eyes, whilst living, rather prominent; its tongue, although
bifid, was short and thick, and appeared to be tubular." Cunningham
manuscripts.
Captain King informs me, that the colour of the tongue and inside of the
mouth was yellow.
2. Uaranus varius, Merrem.
Lacerta varia, White, Journal of a Voyage to New Holland, 253, t. 38.
Shaw, Nat. Misc. t. 83.
Tupinambis variegatus, Daud. Rept. iij. 76.
Monitor bigarre, Cuv. Reg. Anim. ij. 24.
This species, better known to English Dealers under the name of The Lace
Lizard, is peculiar in having the two series of the scales, placed on the
upper part of the centre of the tail, raised into a biserrated ridge, and
in the outer toe, or rather thumb, of the hinder-foot being long, and
reaching to the penultimate distal joint of the first or longest toe; the
claws are compressed, sharp.
Genus PHELSUMA. Gray.
Pedes quatuor, digitis fere aequalibus, totis lobatis, muticis; poris
femoralibus distinctis.
Caput et truncus supra tesserulis minutis, infra squamis minimis, tecti.
This genus, which appears to be confined to the Isle of France, differs
from the rest of the Geckonidae, by the toes being dilated the whole
length, and entirely clawless, and covered beneath with transverse
scales; by the thumb being very small and indistinct, and by the thighs
being furnished with a series of minute pores.
3. Phelsuma ornata (n.s.).
P. supra plumbea macula, fasciaque rufa ornata, subtus albida.
Icon. --
Inhabits Isle of France.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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