The scales of the back are small, angular, smooth, not overlapping, disposed in transverse bands; those of the belly are flat, four-sided, longer than broad. The tail is rounded, but somewhat four-sided, a little compressed towards the tip. The skin of the throat and breast forms two or three transverse folds. There are femoral pores. The head is covered with large plates or shields: the palate is destitute of teeth; those of the jaw are notched at the summit; the tongue is very long, capable of great protrusion, sheathed at the base, and divided at the tip into two long and slender filaments.
The Sauvegardes are Lizards of imposing appearance; they are stoutly built, and richly coloured; being marked with spots of rich yellow on deep black, or vice versâ.
These Lizards are natives of the tropical parts of America. They attain a considerable size, frequently measuring four or five feet in length. According to MM. Duméril and Bibron, they generally inhabit the fields and borders of woods, but never climb trees; they appear also to frequent sandy arid tracts, and it is said they excavate burrows, in which they lay themselves up for the winter. Sometimes, in their efforts to elude pursuit, they come upon a lake, pond, or river, when, as we are informed by D’Azara, in order to avoid the danger that menaces them, they plunge in and do not leave the water till all fear of harm is past. These Lizards have not indeed webbed feet, as MM. Duméril and Bibron observe, but under these circumstances their long and compressed tail becomes without doubt a sort of oar, which well answers their purpose.
