British Reptiles and Amphibians 



glazed and provided with a glazed door. Ventilation 

 must be attended to, and to secure this holes may be 

 made in the ends and on the top and covered with 

 perforated zinc. Bore a small hole, say an inch in 

 diameter, in the top and fit over it a sliding tin door ; it 

 is through this hole that the Lizards are to be fed with 

 flies, small grubs, and other food in which they delight. 

 It is wise to paint the inside of the woodwork. The 

 vivarium is improved by fitting a movable zinc tray 

 into the floor : this tray should be a little smaller than 

 the actual floor and be about 2 or 3 inches deep ; the 

 wood should be cut so that the tray may project 

 through it, and to allow for this projection short legs 

 must be fitted on the vivarium, the legs being just long 

 enough to raise the tray clear of the table or the shelf 

 on which the case is to be kept. A larger box may be 

 partitioned so that two or three separate compartments 

 are formed ; in which event each compartment must 

 have a separate glazed door, suitable ventilation, and a 

 little door on the top for the admission of food. It 

 must be remembered that Lizards hibernate, and it is 

 not always easy to keep them alive through the hiber- 

 nating period. The vivarium must be placed where 

 plenty of sunshine can reach the animals. 



The foreign species, which are usually kept as pets, 

 such as the Geckos and Chameleons, require a heated 

 vivarium, and there are simple devices whereby heating 

 can be secured. The student who desires to keep such 

 reptiles under observation will be well advised to study 



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