184 SAURIA. 



with small polygonal or subpolygonal plates, with a large 

 angular one in the centre; the dorsal scales are long, 

 narrow, hexagonal, and less distinctly keeled than in the 

 foregoing species ; the head more depressed and the nose 

 sharper ; the plates of the belly are in six rows, with two 

 small marginal rows, as in that species ; the pre-anal plate 

 is bordered by two rows of scales ; the fore -legs reach to 

 the eye, the hind-legs extend along two-thirds of the sides ; 

 femoral pores from nine to twelve on each thigh ; the back 

 is brown, olive, or reddish, with a black band on each side 

 from the head to the tail ; a second dark band runs along 

 the side, and is edged with white. The general colour of 

 the upper surface of the animal is that of the back ; the 

 parts beneath are spotted with black upon a whitish ground, 

 often with a blue or green tinge. 



Remarkable as being ovoviviparous, the membrane in 

 which the young are enclosed bursting immediately upon 

 their expulsion from the mother. 



The entire length is usually from 5| to 65- inches. 



This Lizard is never found in low or flat countries, but 

 frequents mountain districts in the greater part of North 

 and Central Europe, and is common in Switzerland, Ger- 

 many, Poland, France, England, Scotland, and Ireland. In 

 Italy it is only found in the Alpine regions of the North. 

 Inhabits also the hilly parts of Belgium and Eussia. 



Lacerta viridis. 



Lacerta viridis, Dum. et Bib. vol. v. p. 210; Schinz, Europ. Faun, 

 vol. ii. p. 15 ; Buon. Faun. Ital. (figured). 



Description. — Two small naso-frenal plates, one above the 

 other ; temples covered with polygonal plates, having that 

 in the centre the largest ; one small occipital plate, gene- 

 rally of a triangular form, truncated in front ; the length 

 of the head is as long again as its height, and its height is 



