'lizzie: 473 



tame slow-worms accomplished this with perfect ease when- 

 ever so suspended. 



Others, unaccustomed to such a position, or in a not very 

 robust condition, must be treated cautiously under this 

 experiment, and not permitted to fall ; but in every case the 

 tail will be seen to be a very important agent to the reptile. 

 It is longer in the male than in the female slow-worm — more 

 than half the entire length in the former, and less than half 

 in the latter. The males are, therefore, longer on the whole, 

 though the body itself is longest in the female. Regard 

 should be had to this, when, roughly speaking, they are said 

 to 'break themselves in halves ; ' because it is not the body 

 which breaks, but only the tail, or a portion of it, in common 

 with other lizards. 



The power of the tail in this reptile was again seen when 

 its home was a bell-glass, such as is used for gold-fish. The 

 one in which my first family of slow-worms dwelt, was 

 almost as high as their own length, so that I considered 

 them sufficiently secure without any cover to it. But after 

 a little while they effected an exit. Hoiu, was at first 

 a mystery, until I saw them perseveringly raising them- 

 selves in a perpendicular direction against the side. Many 

 a slip and many a trial had they, but they rarely desisted 

 until success crowned their efforts. When their head had 

 once gained the edge of the glass, they easily drew them- 

 selves up and over it, and let themselves down on the 

 outside, as you would draw a cord over the edge. The 

 perfect smoothness of the glass, the nice balance required, 

 and the gradual lowering of themselves, rendered this 

 proceeding still more astonishing ; for as the glass was on 



