CHAPTER VI 
ANIMALS OF THE EASTERN STATES 
When a naturalist from western Europe crosses the Atlantic, 
and after landing at one of the great ports on the east coast 
of the United States, takes a stroll in the country on a fine 
summer’s day, a great many novel features strike his eye. 
Let us suppose, for instance, that he is specially interested 
in reptiles and amphibians. Although the neighbourhood of 
New York and Boston abounds with ideal dry sandy banks 
which would be alive with lizards if situated in France or 
Germany, these reptiles seem to be completely absent. This 
is actually the case. No lizards have been observed in the 
neighbourhood of these cities. If he went further inland 
to ascertain whether America is really devoid of lizards, our 
visitor might succeed, after crossing the Hudson River, in 
capturing some. Two kinds of lizard have been recorded 
from the western parts of the State of New York, viz., the 
blue-tailed lizard (Eumeces quinquelineatus) and the common 
swift (Sceloporus undulatus).* The first of these is a strik¬ 
ingly handsome species with five vividly yellow lines along 
the back and a tail of brilliant blue. It is altogether different 
from the ordinary European lizards, for the scales are shiny 
like those of the slow-worm. The blue-tailed lizard forms 
part, in fact, of the large family of skinks (Scincidae) most 
of which inhabit the tropical portions of the Old World. The 
genus Eumeces (Plestiodon) to which the American blue¬ 
tailed lizard belongs, is largely confined to the south-eastern 
and southern States of North America. A few species are 
found in the south-west and in Mexico, while the genus is 
entirely absent from South America and Europe. Eight 
species are known from Asia. Now the most remarkable point 
* Eckel, E. C., and F. C. Paulmier, “ New York Reptiles,” p. 390. 
