Lizard appears in the Auth.Vers. in but one pas- sage (Lev. xi, 30) as the rendering of ilJ<I35, letadh'; but different species of the animal seem to be desig- nated by several Hebrew terms, variously rendered in the English translation. In the East numerous varie- ties of these reptiles are met with in great abundance, several of which are regarded as venomous (Hasselquist, Trav. p. 241, 344 sq.). Others, again, are used by the modern Arabs for food (comp. also Arrian, Mai: Eryth. p. 17, ed. Hudson), whereas the Mosaic law (Lev. xi) classes them among unclean animals.
(1.) Ko'ach (ns, s^;vh7//(, Lev. xi, 30; Sept. ;^a;uai- Xftur, Auth.Vers. "chameleon"), prob. the Lacerta siel- lio, an olive-brown lizard, with black and white spots, and a tail about a span long, while the body itself is scarcely of this length (Hasselquist, Tt-ai'. p. 352; fig- ure in Riippel, .4//(/.t, tab. 2). Bochart {Ilieroz. ii, 493 sq.) understands this term to refer to the species called El-waral, which exhibits its great strength (hence its name) in combat with the crocodile and serpents, is dis- gusting in appearance, and said to be poisonous (Leon. Afric. Descript. Afric. ix, 53). But Michaelis {Suppl. 2221) and Rosenmiiller have long since remarked that the derivation of the name koiich is perhaps from a dif- ferent root. According to the Arabic interpreters, it is the land crocodile, or a species of it, perhaps the Wai-an el-hard or shinh (Lacei-fa sciiicus), which sometimes at- tains a length of six feet or more. See Chameleon.
(2.) Letaaii' (nXi3^,perh. so called from its hiding; Lev. xi, 30; Sept. ^aXa/3air7/c,Yulg. .s/c//to, Auth.Vers. "lizard"), perhaps the species called in Egypt Shecha- lit, described by Forskal (Descr. p. 13) as a delicate lit- tle anitnal, about a span in length and of the thickness of the thumb, found in the neighborhood of houses. Bochart {Hieroz. ii, 497 sq.) maintains that it is the wa- (jrat of the Arabs, a kind of lizard that clings close to the ground (hence his derivation from an Arabic root, signifying to stick to the earth), to which also the Sept. alludes (comp. Oken, Natiirr/esch. Ill, ii, 203). Geddes regards it as identical with the Lacerta fjecko.
(3.) Cho'met (l3^H. so called from li/iiif/ close to the ground; Lev. xi^30; Sept. rrcj/'prr, Auth.Vers. "snail") has been supposed by Bochart (ii,500 sq.) to mean the Galkan, a species of lizard that burrows in the sand (on the precarious interpretation of the Talmud). The in- terpretation snail rests on no better foundation. Both the Aral)ic interpreters understand the chavidcon. The species intended is uncertain. (See Fuller, Miscell. vi, 9.)
(4.) Anakah' (njrjX, a shriek; Lev. xi, 30; Sept. and Vulg. shrewmouse, A\it\\.\ firs, "ferret") is regarded
by the Arab. Erpen. as the Waral, considered by some as identical with the Laceiia Nilotica (Hasselquist, Trav. p. 3G1 sq.), but which last Forskal {Descript. A niiniil. p. 13) calls Waran (comp. Robinson, ii, 253). The Waral is described by those who have personally seen it (see Leo Afric. Descr. ix, 51) as having a length of three or four feet, a scaly, very strong, grayish-yellow skin, and is regarded as poisonous in every part. (See Rosen- miiller, Alterth. IV, ii, 256 sq. ; Gesen. Thesaur. p. 128.)
(5.) TsAB (31£, prob. from its slufff/ishness ; Lev. xi, 29 ; Sept, and Vulg. the crocodile, Auth.Vers. " tortoise") is doubtless the species of lizard still called by the Arabs JJhab (see Bochart, Hieroz. ii, 463 sq.), a stupid creature tenanting rocky waters. According to Leo Afric. (ix, 52), it is about a yard long, without poisonous qualities, and incapable of drinking. They are caught and eaten in the desert. Forskal {Descript. Animal, p. 13) and Hasselquist {Trav. p. 353 sq.) appear to have described it under the name oi Lacerta ^Er/yjitiaca (comp. Paulus, Samml. ii, 263). According to Burckhardt (11,863 sq.), it has a scaly skin of a yeUow color, and sometimes at- tains a length of eighteen inches.
(6.) Tinshe'meth (H'QkJSO, the hard Jrea^Af?-; Sept., Vulgate, and Auth. Vers, mole ; Lev. xi, 30 ; being the same Heb. word used in Lev. xi, 18 ; Deut. xiv, 16, to describe a bird, rendered " swan") is (according to Sa- adias) a species of lizard, probably the Gecko (Hassel- quist, Trav. p. 356 sq.), a kind described as having a round tail of moderate length, and tufted feet, lamellated lengthwise on the bottom, said to be peculiar for ex- uding poison from the divisions of its toes, eagerly seek- ing spots imbued with salt, which it leaves infected with a virus that engenders leprosy (see also Forskal, p. 13). Bochart (ii, 503 sq.) understands the chameleon, deriving the etymology from the ancient belief that this crea- ture lived upon the air (Pliny, Hist, Nut. viii, 33, 51), a notion probably derived from its long endurance of hun- ger. (See Hasselquist, Trav. p. 348 sq. ; Sonnini, Trav. i, 87; Oken, iVa^u/'^escA. Ill, ii, 306 sq. ; 'R\xss&\, Aleppo, ii, 128 sq.) See Chameleon.
(7.) Semamith' (rr^^^b, prob. as being held poi- sonous; Prov. XXX. 28; Sept. (caXo/3wr»;c, Vulg. stellio, Auth.Vers. "spider") is mentioned as a small creature of active instmcts; prob. the Arabic saum, a poisonous lizard with leopard-like spots (Bochart, Hieroz. ii, 1084). Comp. Rosenmuller, Alterth. IV, ii, 268. See Spider.
(8.) Tannin' ('piP) or Taknim' (a^^iPl), othersvise Tan ("Fl), seems occasionally to signify a huge land serpent or saurian. See Dkagon.