1903 Reptile Studies 209 



British lizards forms the subject of a book by the present 

 writer which is now in the press, and from which the two 

 illustrations to this article are taken. These photographs 

 and a large number of others from the same gifted photo- 

 grapher, Mr. Douglas English, will appear in that volume, 

 and they throw excellent light on the creatures repre- 

 sented. 



As a preliminary to the further study of our indigenous 

 lizards I wish in this paper to indicate merely the lines 

 upon which such a study must be based, and to note 

 especially the reasons for including certain species in the 

 list ; and, secondly, to draw attention to some points con- 

 nected with the geographical distribution as far as these 

 Islands are concerned. 



In some of the popular works on natural history in this 

 country it will be found that the Green lizard is described 

 as an indigenous species for the south of England, or else 

 it is simply stated that the question of its right to be in- 

 cluded in the British list is undecided, and that therefore 

 a description of the lizard is included in the book. Others 

 ignore it altogether. Neither of these two attitudes seems 

 to me quite satisfactory. Before the systematist is able to 

 draw up a complete faunal list for any country, the very 

 first thing that is essential is to be quite clear as to the 

 boundary lines of the area to be dealt with. These lines 

 must be hard and fast, in order that the student of the 

 fauna may know exactly what is meant by the name given 

 to the area included. At first sight it would appear that 

 there would not be any chance of confusion arising in the 

 case of Great Britain, or any other island or collection of 

 islands. As a matter of fact, however, it is precisely upon 

 this point that the question hinges as far as our lizards are 

 concerned. It simply comes to this — Are we to consider 

 the Channel Islands as part of Great Britain for purposes of 

 zoological distribution, or are they to be left out of con- 

 sideration ? According to the answer given to that question 

 will the reptile list differ. I wish to lay great stress upon 

 this matter. It cannot be too clearly recognised that the 

 Green lizard (L. viridis) has no claim to be included in 

 the fauna of this country unless the Channel Islands are 

 vol. n. — no. 7. o 



