. Introduction to zoology; a guide to the study of animals, for the use of secondary schools;. FIG. 2r4.— Chameleo, the chameleon. From Leunis. protruding the tongue to over half the length of its bodyand bringing the sticky end in contact with its prey. Theprotrusions and retractions of the tongue are effected witlimarvellous rapidity (Fig. 254). While in point of size the lizards of geologically recenttimes are inconsiderable, those of former epochs werehuge. These former or fossil lizards were most charac-teristic of the middle life era or the Mesozoic age. Theybelong to three main groups;
. Introduction to zoology; a guide to the study of animals, for the use of secondary schools;. FIG. 2r4.— Chameleo, the chameleon. From Leunis. protruding the tongue to over half the length of its bodyand bringing the sticky end in contact with its prey. Theprotrusions and retractions of the tongue are effected witlimarvellous rapidity (Fig. 254). While in point of size the lizards of geologically recenttimes are inconsiderable, those of former epochs werehuge. These former or fossil lizards were most charac-teristic of the middle life era or the Mesozoic age. Theybelong to three main groups; namely, swimming, walkingor wading,1 and flying lizards. The swimming lizards were 1 Fig. 254. THE LTZART) AND ITS ALLIES 070 _ i • > sometimes over 10 metres long% and had feet modified O as paddles. The land lizards were elongated, three-toed,carnivorous reptiles, with hollow leg bones like birds. Inthe flying lizards, a strong compact body was providedwith hollow, air-filled bones, and locomotion was effectedby a huge membranous expanse stretched between the. FIG. 255. —Hadrosaurus. From reconstruction model. Osborn, Kept. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. elongated posterior finger, the trunk, and the hind spread of the wing was about three feet. The Chelonia,1 or turtles, form an order distinct fromthe lizards. They are characterized by a depressed form,a bony case, and toothless jaws. Like other reptiles, theyare most abundant in tropical countries, since the high turtle. 274 ZOOLOGY external temperature compensates in a way for the insuf-ficiency of the mechanism for maintaining from the insidea high blood temperature. Turtles are abundant inAfrica, and are much commoner in North America thanin Europe. Three families of Chelonia may be distin-guished. A short account of each follows. The family Chelonidae includes certain marine live in all oceans and may acquire a weight of as
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectzoology, bookyear1900
