April 1, 1866.] 



SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



79 



about the size and shape of a nutmeg. It consisted 

 of only one layer of paper surrounding the comb 

 with a second layer just begun at the top. The 

 wasp worked so industriously during the day, that 

 in the evening the second layer reached fully half- 

 way down ; so I determined to watch her closely, 

 and make a sketch of her progress from day to day. 

 We watched her labours with much interest for 

 three days, but at the end of that time our observa- 

 tions came to a close, for the work proceeded no 

 further ; the wasp, either disliking so much prying 



Fig. 87. Nest— April 27th, at 8 p.m. 



into her movements, forsook her nest, or, what is 

 more probable, got killed on one of her foraging 

 expeditions ; but the accompanying figures, which 

 are the exact size of the original, show the amount 

 of work done each day by the unaided efforts of one 

 small but indefatigable builder. 



Robert Holland. 



THE COMMON LIZARD. 



A SI have kept these reptiles in confinement with 

 -*--*- some success, and as very few persons are at 

 all acquainted with their habits, I venture to offer a 

 short account of them to the readers of Science- 

 Gossip. 



The lizard (Zooioca vivipara) is exceedingly 

 common on heaths, and, indeed, on any piece of 

 uncultivated ground on which furze grows ; as on 

 the bit of furzy land facing Craven Terrace, Upper 

 Holloway, where they abound. But though so 

 common, the lizard is seldom seen, as it darts off, 

 quick as lightning, into the nearest bush on hearing 

 any one approach, so that in order to get a chance of 

 catching one, perfect quiet is necessary. 



It is really extraordinary that this harmless little 

 reptile should be such an object of dread as it is. 

 I was once hunting after reptiles on "Wimbledon 

 Common, when a sturdy-looking rifleman came up 

 and asked me what I was looking for. I told him, 

 and at the same time opened a tin canister, in which 



was my only capture— a lizard. At this sight he- 

 started back with fright, and almost let his rifle fall. 

 I know not how brave he would have been before 

 an enemy, but he certainly couldn't stand before a 

 lizard. Country people also dread the lizard, or 

 " land-effet," as they call it, even more than the 

 adder. I must therefore premise that it is perfectly 

 harmless, and cannot even draw blood. 



If caught by the tail, these reptiles snap that ap- 

 pendage off, deeming it better to lose their tail than 

 their life. Many other species do the same. It' 

 broken off, the tail begins to grow again in exactly 

 two months, and is complete in another month, un- 

 less broken off very late in the season, in which case 

 it does not grow again until the spring. One with 

 two tails was some time since caught on Hampstead 

 Heath. 



The skin is changed about once in three weeks ; 

 it does not come off whole, but peels off bit by bit. 

 I have often caught them, looking very ragged, with 

 pieces of old skin hanging loosely about them. 



Their food consists of small insects of any kind, 

 such as flies, gnats, spiders, earwigs, moths, &c, 

 which they soon get tame enough to take from the 

 hand. They do not (as the Batrachia do) wait for 

 their prey to move, but will eat it alive or dead. 

 They chew their food well before it is swallowed, 

 and lick their lips after it, like cats. The eye of the 

 lizard is charmingly bright and expressive. 



The young are born alive, whence their scientific 

 name, about the middle of July. The period of ges- 

 tation is three months. In 1861 1 had two litters 

 born in my vivarium. The first, consisting of five, 

 was born on July the 16th, and the other, consisting 

 of six, on the 17th. The little creatures at once 

 began running and climbing all about the box, with 

 pieces of the leathery shell sticking to their backs. 

 Many of the eggs were laid full twenty minutes 

 before the young broke out of them, so that they are 

 not quite strictly viviparous. The little-ones for the 

 first ten days or a fortnight ate and drank heartily, 

 but then gradually sunk and died. I cannot imagine 

 why. 



The male and female are readily distinguishable 

 by the belly of the former being of a reddish-orange 

 colour, occasionally quite red, spotted with black, 

 while that of the latter is of a very pale yellow, 

 without spots. 



In winter, if not allowed to torpify, they support 

 life by drinking an immense amount of water. When 

 torpid, it proves fatal to awaken them. 



In common with all other reptiles, they love to 

 bask in the sunshine ; and, in order to expose as 

 much of the body as possible to its warmth, they 

 make themselves almost as flat as boards, and hold 

 up their little fore -feet to catch its rays. 



I keep them in small wooden boxes, covered on 

 the top with black gauze, through which they can 

 be easily w r atched. They only require a little 



