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and dead leaves, and glisten in the sunshine like rows of jewels. 
The legs are covered with larger scales, and the body is pro- 
tected beneath by scales or plates, which extend in two rows 
along its under surface. The tail is one half the entire length 
of the reptile, and is round, thus differing from that of the 
Newt, which is flat, and adapted for swimming. The feet of 
the Lizard are very pretty, the toes covered with bright scales 
like the body, each ending with a claw. The head is protected 
by large plates instead of scales; the tongue is not forked, as 
in Snakes, but is notched at the tip; and the eyes are lively 
and bright. The Lizard has the power of extending his ribs in 
such a way that his body becomes flattened, and thus exposes 
a larger surface to the rays of the sun, from which all his 
natural warmth is derived. The digestion of reptiles prac- 
tically does not raise their temperature, and the heat necessary 
for the circulation of their blood must therefore be obtained 
from other sources. This is the cause of their love of sunshine, 
and the reason why they have often been found concealed behind 
fire-places and in similar situations. 
The colour of the upper surface of the Lizard varies in 
different individuals from olive green to warm red brown. The 
males may be distinguished by some black spots scattered on 
their under surface, which is generally yellow, but sometimes 
pink in colour, the latter hue having been attributed to the 
advanced age of the reptile, and my own observations tend to 
confirm this view. The female is always of a yellowish cream- 
colour beneath, unspotted. She is more timed than the male, 
and less easily tamed. She seeks a more secluded spot in 
which to sun herself, especially towards the middle of summer. 
In July she brings forth from two to five young, exact repre- 
sentations of herself in all except their colour, for this is black, 
and only changes after the lapse of some months; but. they 
scarcely exceed an inch in length, and are never dependent 
upon her for any kind of food; in fact she takes very little 
notice of them, and while they daily wander farther among the 
long grass, she seeks a deeper seclusion under the leafy shade 
of bushes. The young grow rapidly, and at the end of their 
