72 BRITISH LIZARDS 



sufficient are introduced and set free, it may succeed 

 in establishing itself in some counties. From the field 

 naturalist's point of view such a consummation is 

 devoutly to be wished, as it would make a handsome 

 addition to our all too scanty reptile fauna. 



Description. — The green lizard is considerably larger 

 than any of the other lizards encountered in the 

 British Isles, with the exception of the slow-worm, 

 which indeed reaches as great a length, but is not 

 nearly so bulky a creature. The average size of the 

 adult may be put at 12 to 15 inches, though a good 

 number of specimens exceed this measurement. The 

 males, as in most other lizards, are larger than the 

 females, very large males reaching a length of 16 or 

 1 7 inches. Here again, the observer must be careful to 

 see whether the tail is intact before coming to a con- 

 clusion as to the total length, for the tail is responsible 

 for the greater part of the total length, almost three- 

 quarters of it in very long males. 



The predominating colour, as the name implies, is 

 green. This is particularly upon the upper surface, 

 and therefore the colour most readily seen. It shades 

 off into yellow on the belly, the intermediate part, or 

 the lateral aspect, being greenish yellow. 



Other colours are found in special parts of the body. 

 If the specimen be a male in the breeding season, the 

 throat will exhibit a bluish tinge. The prevailing 

 green of the back will often be mottled with black 

 specks, or yellow spots. Often, too, a decided brown 



