British Reptiles : Lizards 



There are divers stories that appear periodically 

 anent the parent Lizard swallowing these youngsters 

 during a season of danger, but these must be taken 

 cum grano salts. The same is said of the adult Adder. 

 No really authentic instance of such actually taking 

 place has so far been recorded, although it must be 

 granted some rather striking and curious stories of 

 both Lizards and Adders hiding their young after this 

 fashion have been given from time to time. Whether 

 the female Lizard here named takes a truly parental 

 care of her offspring or not, certain it is the young 

 Lizards do their own hunting the moment they issue 

 into the world. 



The adult Viviparous Lizard measures 5J to 6 

 inches in length. The tail is long in proportion to the 

 body. It is somewhat heavy for half its length, but the 

 remainder of its body gradually tapers towards the 

 extremity. There are no teeth in the palate. The 

 temple is covered with minute polygonal plates, having 

 a rather large one in the centre. The scales over the 

 back are long, narrow, and hexagonal in shape. The 

 head is rather depressed and sharp ; belly plates are in 

 six rows, with smaller ones towards the edge. The 

 forelegs are set well towards the head, while the hind 

 ones occupy two-thirds of the sides. 



It is said that the Viviparous Lizard is never found 

 where the Sand Lizard (Lacerta agilis) abounds, and 

 this phenomenon is due to the fact that the latter hunts 

 and eats the young of the former if they stray into its 



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