128 SAURIA. LACERTAD.E. 



and after a little time cautiously make their re- 

 appearance, and on the least alarm again seek 

 refuge in their retreat."* 



Few persons can have paid any attention to 

 these reptiles without having been struck with a 

 phenomenon which, when observed for the first 

 time, seems singular in the extreme, — the facility 

 with which the tail breaks off on the slightest 

 violence. We well remember the astonishment 

 with which we first witnessed the circumstance, 

 and the painful feeling of compunction with 

 which we regarded the writhing fragment left in 

 our fingers, with its white projecting muscle, 

 slightly bleeding, and thought of the involun- 

 tary mutilation that we had committed. We 

 were not then aware of the rapidity with which 

 the lost organ would be reproduced. 



Dr. Drummond has described his surprise at a 

 similar incident : — " Being on the sea-shore at 

 Pulo Bay, in Sardinia, and searching for speci- 

 mens of natural history, I observed a large Lizard 

 running for shelter under a heap of stones. I 

 was just in time to seize it by the end of the tail, 

 but suddenly the resistance made by the animal 

 to my attempt to drag it from its hiding-place 

 ceased, and I gave it up for lost ; but I as suddenly 

 had cause for alarm myself on seeing what ap- 

 peared to be a small Snake leaping with great 

 agility about my feet, and springing as high as 

 my knee. I instantly started out of its way, and 

 watched it at a respectful distance, when I found 

 that it was the tail of the animal, which I was not 

 before aware could so easily separate. "f 



This singular phenomenon is doubtless depend- 



* Pict. Museum, ii. 94. + First Steps to Anatomy, 86. 



