116 REPTILES AND BIRDS. 
has no enemy whatever on shore, whereas at sea it must often fall 
a prey to the numerous sharks. Hence, probably urged by a fixed 
and hereditary instinct that the shore is its place of safety, whatever 
the emergency may be, it there takes refuge. I asked several of 
the inhabitants if they knew where it laid its eggs: they said, that 
although well acquainted with the eggs of the other kind, they had 
not the least knowledge of the manner in which this species 1s 
propagated—a fact, considering how common an animal this lizard 
is, not a little extraordinary. During our visit (in October) I saw 
extremely few small individuals of this species, and none, I should 
think, under a year old. From this circumstance it seems probable 
that the breeding season had not commenced.” 
The terrene species (A mblycephalus subcristatus), unlike the aquatic 
one, is confined to the central islands of the Gallapagos archipelago, 
where they inhabit both the higher and damp, as well as the lower 
and sterile parts ; but in the latter they are much more numerous, 
“T cannot give a more forcible proof of their numbers,” relates Mr. 
Darwin, “than by stating that, when we were left at James Island, 
we could not for some time find a spot free from their burrows on 
which to pitch our tent. These Lizards, like their brothers of the 
sea-kind, are ugly animals; and, from their low facial angle, have a 
singularly stupid appearance. In size perhaps they are a little 
inferior to the latter, but several of them weighed between ten and 
fifteen pounds each. The colour ot their belly, front legs, and head 
(excepting the crown, which is nearly white) is a dirty yellowish 
orange; the back is of a brownish red, which, in the younger 
specimens, is darker. In their movements they are lazy and half- 
torpid. When not frightened, they slowly crawl along, with their 
tails and bellies dragging on the ground. They o‘ten stop and 
doze for a moment, with closed eyes, and hind legs spread out on 
the parched soil. These Iizards inhabit burrows ; which they 
sometimes excavate between fragments of lava, but more generally 
on level patches of soft volcanic sandstone. The holes do not 
appear to be very deep, and they enter the ground at a small angle ; 
so that when walking over one of these lizard warrexs, the soil is 
constantly giving way, much to the annoyance of the tired pedestrian. 
This animal, when excavating its burrows, alternately works the 
opposite sides of its body. One front leg for a short time scratches 
up the soil, and throws it towards the hind foot, which is well 
placed so as to heave it beyond the mouth of the hole. This side 
of the body being tired, the other takes up the task, and so 
alternately. I watched one for a long time,” continues Mr, 
