59 
black; all the upper surface greyish brown; and the under surface 
striated with brown and white. 
Total length 38 inches; bill 7; wing 19; tail 74; tarsi 5. 
Hab. India and Australia. 
Remark.—Having carefully compared examples of this species 
with the Common Heron of Europe, | find it differs from that bird 
in being altogether of a larger size, and that the line of the bill, in- 
stead of being straight, has an upward tendency; in other respects 
they are very similar. 
4, On tHe Hasits or Mazpouya aacitis. By P. H. Goss. 
In the parts of Jamaica with which I am familiar, this pretty, active 
little Scink is abundant. It is most numerous in the lowlands, and 
on the gently-sloping hills of moderate elevation that form the cha- 
racteristic feature of the southern side of that beautiful island. The 
fences there are largely composed of ‘ dry-wall,’ built of rough un- 
hewn stones, without cement. On these walls the Mabouya may be 
seen crawling, and often lying quite still in the sunshine; when 
alarmed it darts with lightning-like rapidity into one of the crevices 
which abound in all parts of such a structure. Indeed it rarely 
ventures far from some refuge of this kind, and I presume that the 
facilities for instant retreat afforded by these pervious walls are the 
chief cause of its preference for them. It is scarcely ever seen on 
the ground, except when avoiding danger; nor on the trunk or 
branches of trees or shrubs; but in the concavity of a pinguin leaf 
(Bromelia pinguin) it is occasionally observed to lie, basking in the 
sun. 
The rounded form of the head and body, devoid of projections ; the 
close-lying and glossy scales ; the shortness of the legs, bringing the 
belly flat upon the ground; and its constant habit of resting with the 
chin on the ground also, give to the Mabouya an aspect very much 
unlike that of our other common lizards, and cannot fail to remind 
even the least observant of its affinity with the serpent-tribes. The 
negroes, in the recognition of this proximity, doubtless, have be- 
stowed upon it the appellation of ‘“ Snake’s waiting-boy,” or more 
briefly, ““Snake-boy.” In the parishes of St. Elizabeth’s and West- 
moreland it is also frequently called the ‘‘ Woodslave,” though in 
other parts of the island this term seems to be applied to some of the 
Geckotide. From the shortness of its legs results also another resem- 
blance to a snake, for owing to the shortness of the steps, if made 
only with the legs, it throws the shoulder and the hip forward at each 
step; and this throwing-out of the sides at different parts alternately 
produces a wriggling motion, somewhat serpentine in appearance. 
The Woodslave is not very easily captured alive: the hair-noose 
so successfully used in taking our other small lizards I have always 
found to fail, if tried on this species; for though it is not difficult to 
pass the noose over the head (the reptile allowing this so long as its 
assailant’s approaches and motions are deliberate and gentle), it is 
instantly slipped off again, because there is no sensible contraction 
