40 BRITISH LIZARDS 



with great ease, and can only be shed untorn if the slow- 

 worm is able to glide through soft material during the 

 process. Any sharp projecting point rubbing against 

 the side of the creature will inevitably tear the slough 

 before it is completely removed. The process starts 

 at the jaws, and the lizard gradually crawls out of the 

 slough, leaving it turned inside out as a rule, though 

 the terminal portion of the tail slough may slip off 

 unreversed. After sloughing, the slow-worm, like 

 other reptiles, is more lively and feeds readily. The 

 length of time between successive sloughings varies. 

 Sloughing always happens after the slow-worm comes 

 out of its winter quarters where it has been hibernating, 

 and is generally repeated at intervals of six weeks or 

 so during the months in the year when active life 

 is in progress. The colouring of the reptile is more 

 brilliant after sloughing than at other times. The 

 slough is never eaten by lizards, as is the habit of 

 some amphibians. 



Hibernation} — The slow-worm does not seem to 

 feel the cold quite so much as some of our reptiles, 

 and consequently may be found active later in the 

 autumn than the snakes, and earlier in the spring. 

 The exact date of commencing hibernation will depend 

 upon the nature of the season, being earlier in a cold 

 autumn, and later in a warm season. The month of 

 October generally finds them in their winter quarters 

 in most parts of the country, but in the extreme 



^ British Serpents, chap. vi. 



