36 OUR REPTILES. 



History of Selborne," has the following remark, 

 which probably applies to this species : — " I remem- 

 ber well to have seen formerly several beautiful 

 green Lacerti on the sunny sand-banks near Farn- 

 ham, in Surrey, and Ray admits there are such in 

 Ireland." All we can say to such evidence is, that 

 the facts are too strong and well attested to deny 

 that the Green Lizard has been several times found 

 in this country ; and though it is quite possible, nay, 

 certain, that many a time and oft they have been 

 brought from Guernsey, and turned adrift here, 

 they are at least naturalized, and deserve a notice 

 in any history of " Our Reptiles." Some of the 

 more recent captures may have been individuals 

 from the " imports," but it is equally probable that 

 the Green Lizards mentioned by White were really 

 indigenous, and the same species. Who shall deter- 

 mine satisfactorily that they were not ? 



The large Lizard quoted by Pennant can scarcely 

 be the same as the present, unless the length was 

 much exaggerated. He thus records it : — 



The most uncommon species we ever met with any account of, 

 is that which was killed near "VVoscot, in the parish of Swinfoid, 

 Worcestershire, in 1741, which was two feet six inches long and 

 four inches in girth. The fore legs were placed eight inches 

 from the head, the hind legs five inches beyond those ; the legs 

 two inches long, the feet divided into four toes, each furnished 

 with a sharp claw. Another was killed at Penbury, in the same 

 county. Whether these are not of exotic descent, and whelher 

 the breed continues, we are at present uninformed. 



