54 Mr, Sheppard's Description of the British Lizards; 
I confess myself very much perplexed with the description Mr. 
Pennant has given (Brit.Zool. iii. 23.) of " some very minute young 
lizards" that were found under stones and old logs of wood : he 
says they had much the appearance of Lacerta palustris ; " were 
perfectly formed, and had not the least vestiges of fins," the in- 
dications of the larva state. These little lizards appear to me to 
have been a new species, as it is well known that all lizards attain 
their full growth in their larva state ; and it is not till after this 
period that they lose their fins. 
Observations on the Larva of Lizards. 
Mr. Pennant has remarked of the larvae of the Lacerta palustris 
(Brit. Zool. iii. 24.), that " they have a fin above and below their 
tail ; and that on the upper part extends along the back as far as 
the head, but both drop off as soon as the animal takes to the 
land, being then no further of any use." In addition to this I 
have to observe, that the fin on the back extends not merely as 
far as the head, but quite over it to the nose ; that it is very broad 
and scalloped, and thus gives to the animal a somewhat formi- 
dable appearance. As to his assertion, that they take to the land 
on changing from their larva state, frequent observation has con- 
firmed to me that it is erroneous. The fins certainly fall off, and 
the animals attain their perfect state in the water. That they are 
sometimes afterwards found on land is true, but this is only in 
consequence of the ponds in which they were living being dried 
up by the heats of summer: being, therefore, under the necessity 
of changing their situation, and finding no other ponds near, 
they naturally creep for shelter under large stones, and into moist 
and shady places. I have almost always had occasion to remark, 
that those found in such situations were lean and enfeebled ; and 
this, in addition to my having very frequently found them in a 
2 perfect 
