The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-12-20
what r. . Reptile s-Ths Dfmculty sf
Classification.

11LllAYnm-l-.-l
what r. . Reptile s-Ths DfmcuIty 81
classification.
The Saturday Reu,e,c In commenting on
certain changes made In the gardens OF the
London Geological Society, particularly on
the new Reptile House, In the Gardens,
says:
1t would be well for visitors II they could
obtain clear answer to the question
what Is a reptiley" II seems that natr-
ralists are some what divided In opinion.
As a fact, cold.blooded animals differ
among themselves far more than warm
blooded animals. There Is less analogy OF
structure between the different genera.
The whale and the bat have more IN COM
mon than the lizard and the crocodile.
Indeed, the anatomical difference between
a frog and tortoise IL far greater
than that between bird and a quadruped.
This makes Il exceedingly difficult to know
what to include in the great class OF rep
tiles. Some naturallsts take In five orders
only, one OF which, that, OF Enallosaurians,
Is extinct, leaving as modern representa-
tives the tortoises, the crocodlles, the liz
ards, and the serpents. But to these or
ders other naturalists would, and with
some reason, add the Batrachians, or am
phibious frogs and tritons, and the cave
dwelling proteus. The greatest differ
ence Is IN the structure OF the
heart. A frog has bilocular"
heart, while a tortoise has "trilocu-
lar" heart. That IL to say, the true reptile
has two auricles and ventricle. while the
Batrachian has but one auricle and one
yentricle. Both are equally cold-bIooded,
since the supply OF oxygen admitted at
each respiration is brought but imper-
iectly into contact with the yenous blood,
and the distinction between the veins
and arteries il partially lost. 1t being
solely by contact with oxygen that our
blood is warmed, the serpent requires
the stimulation OF external heat 10
make him active. and most reptiles in this
country hibernate when the weather be-
comes too cold TO assist their sluggish cir
culation. Mr. Bell has pointed out the
great influence OF heat on not only the
habits OF daily life Of reptiles, but on their
activity, and even on the length OF time
the Young remain unmatched. In the mat
ter OF eggs, however, the greatest differ
ences are observable. The whole OF the
tortoises and turtles are oyiparOus;
some lizards are oviparous and others
viyiparous; the bllnd-worm, which Is
anatomicalIy more OF lizard than SER
pent, Is like serpent "ovo-vlyiparous"-
that Is, the young are Matched at the mo-
ment OF birth. Among the amphibians we
find the same differences. Frogs deposit
spawn like fish, while nevis lay eggs. In
short, though the slightness OF the diff
terence between crocodile and an
alligator Is proverbial as legsl
analogy, the real varieties in almost
every organ between even nearly-al-
lied kinds Of reptiles are enough 10
make their natural history interesting to
any observer. The turtle family do not
change their shells; but serpents, frogs,
and nevis all change their skin; and the
toad, strange to say, swallows his old coat
when he acquires his new one. The
power OF reproducing lost limb, but espe-
cially a lost tail. Is common TO most rep
tiles. Crocodiles have been seen with
one foot much smaller than its companion,
In all probability to some such
cause as the loss OF limb and Its new
growth. 1t may be worth while to correct
4 common idea-namely, that the tails OF
tadpoles drop off when theya about 10 be
promoted to the position OF fully-formed
frogs. The tail Is really removed by
absorption. 1t is a gradual process,
beginning at the end; and young
frogs may be seen hopping about
which still retain rudimentary
tail. The connection between otherwise
distinct orders Of reptiles is illustrated by
The chameleon. which, like the frog and
the toad, catches its prey with glutinous
tongue. In all these animals the tongue
is fixed at the entrance Of the mouth,
and is turned back towards the throat.
When a fly is to be caught the
toad lashes out his tongue with rapidity
that only a practiced eye can follow
the motion. In the case OF the chameleon,
however, the act, though rapid enough for
Is purpose, is comparatively slow, like all
he motions OF this absolutely grave and
'olemH" creature, as Mr.. Wood happily |
calls him. In the monotony Of Nile voy-
sge the chameleon has afforded an object |
II interest to many moping invalid. |
He will catch and eat as many as
orty or fifty flies at a sitting, and |
hen remain still and bilious-loOking for
weeks together. His normal green, Of the |
most brilliant emerald, gives place, il he is |
put on a carpet or piece OF oil-cloth, to |
ZONE less conspicuous color-yellow, with |
brown spots perhaps, or gray and black
md be thus contrives to stalk his flies. His |
powers are limited. he |
,annot turn pale, nor blush like girl; but |
he changes he can effect in a few minutes |
ire sufficiently astonishing.