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.