80 BRITISH LIZARDS 



into a noose, and covering the latter over with a thin 

 film of saliva. The shiny film, like a soap-bubble, is 

 sure to excite the curiosity of the creature. The late 

 Professor Eimer refers to this practice as carried out 

 by the children of two thousand years ago, and he 

 sagaciously explains that the beautiful statue of the 

 so-called Apollo Sauroctonos represents a boy who is 

 in the act of noosing the little lizard on the tree." ^ 



Field naturaHsts who wish to pursue their study 

 of lizards beyond the limited lizard fauna of Great 

 Britain, cannot do better than read Dr. Gadow's book, 

 from which we have quoted the above passages. 



The general appearance and attitudes of L. muralis 

 may be best appreciated from the illustrations, which 

 are from photographs of living specimens. 



^ Gadow, Amphibia and Rc2itilcs, pp. 551-553. 



