CHAPTER X. 

 THE REPTILES. 



DOUBTLESS St. Patrick, when he excommunicated all reptiles 

 from Ireland (the only exception being in favour of the 

 Common Lizard), supposed he was conferring a great favour 

 on the Green Island. Let us be thankful that he did not 

 come over here and do the same. 



The Reptiles constitute a class of cold-blooded vertebrate 

 animals. The term "cold-blooded" signifies " that the 

 power of producing animal heat is so limited as scarcely 

 to be appreciable, and not sufficient, therefore, to keep up 

 any standard temperature of the body, nor to prevent it 

 from following all the thermal variations of the atmosphere 

 or water by which they are surrounded." 



The two orders of the class Reptilia which come under 

 our notice are the Squamata (Saurid), family, Lacertidce, the 

 Lizards ; with the Saurophidia, the Blind Worm, family, 

 Anguidce, and the (Squamata Ophidid), the Serpents, divided 

 into the families Colubridce and Viperidce. 



Of the class Amphibia, which Bell separates from 

 Reptilia, two of the orders, Anoura and Uradella, are indi- 

 genous to this country. The Anoura include the Ranidce, 

 Frogs, and Bufonidce, Toads; the ; Uradella, the Salaman- 

 dridce, the Newts. 



THE LIZARDS. 



Of the Lacertidce or Lizards we have two distinct kinds, 

 one in the genus Lacerta, and the other in that of Zootoca. 



The first, the SAND-LIZARD (Lacerta agilis). Fig. A, is 

 found chiefly about the sandy heaths in the neighbourhood 



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