British Reptiles : Lizards 



and allowed it to twine round his fingers in friendly 

 fashion. He told us all Lizards should be allowed the 

 same freedom, otherwise they would let their tails 

 drop off. * 



This latter capture I conveyed to town, and fed it 

 upon the ordinary grey slugs found in gardens, and it 

 lived through the summer. During that time I gave 

 it a dish of water and sometimes milk, both of which 

 it seemed to relish. One day I found it enjoying a 

 bath in the saucer of milk. My pet never awoke 

 from its winter sleep. 



Lizards as a rule own two pairs of limbs, as is the 

 case with Toads and Frogs. The Slow-worm, with its 

 legless, snakelike form, is an exception. Most Lizards 

 have movable eyelids, and this is a feature which is not 

 present in true snakes. The bodies of Lizards are 

 covered with scales ; in size and shape they are extremely 

 varied, and the variations extend especially to the 

 limbs, tail, tongue, and skin. Quite a number are 

 terrestrial in habit, while some are semi-aquatic. In 

 food habits Lizards are as varied as it is possible to 

 conceive ; some are vegetarian, others are insectivorous, 

 and still others prefer worms, fledglings, and even 

 mammals. Their variations in size and structure are 

 exquisite adaptations to their surroundings. Some are 

 adapted for climbing, and there are fast-running and 

 even flying forms ; others are built for a life beneath 

 the earth's surface, where they live after the manner of 



*5 



