48 ANGUID^E. 



sex ; as we find in the Common Lizard that the body of 

 the female is longer than that of the male. 



The general colour is brownish grey with a silvery 

 glance ; and there are generally several parallel longitu- 

 dinal rows of little dark spots along the sides, and, more 

 constantly, one along the middle of the back. In some 

 individuals the upper part is wholly without spots or lines; 

 the sides only being marked with an obscure band. The 

 belly is of a bluish black colour, with whitish reticulations. 

 The young ones are very light yellowish grey above ; the 

 sides and belly quite black ; and there is a black dot on 

 the vertex, and another on the occiput, — which latter 

 gives origin to a slender longitudinal black line down the 

 back. 



The total length is from ten to twelve, or even fourteen 

 inches : the head half an inch, or a little more. The vig- 

 nette gives a representation of the under part of the tail, 

 and of the upper part of the head. 



The Anguis Eryx of Linneus, the Aberdeen Snake of 

 Pennant, communicated to them by Dr. David Skene, and 

 said to have been taken in Aberdeenshire, was certainly 

 nothing more than the common Slow-worm ; and, from the 

 description, can scarcely be considered even as a variety of 

 it, so little does it differ, if indeed it can be said to differ at 

 all, from its normal appearance. 



