152 REPTILES. SAURIA. Lacekta 



" 3. L. anguiformis. Viperine Lizard — Head very light brown above, 

 with four dark spots; yellowish-white beneath. Back, with a black line 

 along the middle, reaching from the head to about half an inch beyond the 

 hind legs ; on each side of this, a broader one of dark brown (these, beyond the 

 black line unite, and reach to the end of the tail) ; next to these, succeeds a 

 fine yellow stripe, that extends to the end of the tail ; then a black one, which 

 reaches no farther than the middle line, and afterwards a dark brown stripe, 

 mixed with a few yellow spots extending to the end of the tail. A little 

 above the hind legs, in some specimens, is a slight division of the scales, 

 forming a transverse line. Belly yellowish-white, with a few black spots. 

 Tail, under part dirty white, spotted with black as far as within an inch of 

 the end; the remainder marked dengthways with long bars of black. Legs 

 dark brown, spotted with black. Feet have all five toes, with nails. Length 

 7 inches and upwards : I saw one specimen above a foot long, but was not 

 able to catch it. — This lizard, which I think may, with propriety, be describ- 

 ed under the name Anguiformis, I have once or twice found near marshes, 

 but its general abode is upon heaths ; this circumstance, together with its 

 viperine appearance and colours, which have more than once deceived me in 

 hastily passing it, induce me to suspect that it must be the L. anguiformis of 

 Ray." 



Ray takes notice of the L. viridis, or Green Lizard (Quad. 264.), as in- 

 habiting Ireland. It occurs in Guernsey ; and, according to Pennant, it has 

 been propagated in England. The upper parts of the body being rich, varie- 

 gated green, the belly whitish, and the length being from 18 to 30 inches, 

 distinguish it from the L. agilis. Pennant mentions a lizard, probably of this 

 species, " which was killed near Woscot, in the parish of Swinford, Worces- 

 tershire, in 1741, which was 2 feet G inches long, and 4 inches in girth. The 

 fore-legs were placed 8 inches from the head ; the hind-legs 5 inches beyond 

 these ; the legs two inches long ; the feet divided into four toes, each furnish- 

 ed with a sharp claw. Another was killed at Penbury, in the same county. 

 Whether these are not of exotic descent, and whether the breed continues, 

 is what we are at present uninformed of." — Brit. Zool. iii. 22. 



In the Statistical Account of Little Dunkeld by the Rev. John Robertson, 

 vol. vi. p. 361. is the following note. " A quadruped found in the moors at 

 the eastern extremity of the parish, is entitled to notice as a remarkable va- 

 riety of the Lizard tribe. It is about 9 inches long, the body, or trunk, is of 

 an unusual length in proportion to the tail, which does not taper gradually 

 from the hind-feet, as in other lizards, but becomes suddenly small, like that 

 of a mouse. The back is full of small protuberances, and guarded with a skin 

 almost as hard as a sea-shell. The eyes large, clear, and circular, like those 

 of an ordinary trout ; the jaws more than an inch in length, and the teeth so 

 strong as to be heard making a ringing noise upon the iron point of a pole at 

 the distance of more than ten feet. It is believed in that part of the coun- 

 try, that, about 50 years ago, the bite of this animal proved fatal to a child 

 two years old. It is never seen but upon very dry ground. When irritated 

 it expresses its rage by the reddening and glistening of its eyes." 



These notices, of imperfectly known species or varieties, may probably ex- 

 cite those who enjoy favourable opportunities to communicate more extended 

 descriptions of their characters and distribution. 



EXTINCT SAURIAN REPTILES. 



Crocodile. — The remains of several distinct species of animals 

 belonging to this genus, occur in those strata which are placed 

 above the independent coal formation. Of these the following 

 may be noticed. 



