i68 THE RIVER-SIDE NATURALIST. 



black rounded spots each marked with a yellowish-white 

 dot or line in the centre ; some are more or less of a 

 green colour on the sides. The total length is about 

 7 inches. 



The second, the VIVIPAROUS LIZARD the Common Lizard 

 or Nimble Lizard (Zootoca vivipara), Fig. B, is much more 

 common. It is one of the few reptiles found in Ireland. 



It is a very graceful little animal, and on sunny days 

 can be seen on many a bank basking and enjoying itself. 

 It is very rapid in its movements, and darts its tongue on 

 its prey with unerring aim. It is particularly fond of 

 dipterous insects, flies, &c. The female retains its eggs 

 within its oviducts until the young are ready to leave 

 them, and they are produced alive. It is, therefore, ovo- 

 viviparous. 



This little lizard is smaller than Lacerta agilis. The 

 colours and marking vary much. The general ground- 

 colours of the upper-parts are greenish-brown, with a dark- 

 brown line down the middle of the back, often somewhat 

 interrupted ; a broad fascia extends parallel with this on 

 each side, commencing behind the eyes and extending to 

 a greater or less length down the tail ; between these and 

 the former are often one or more rows of black dots, and 

 similar ones occur in many individuals in the broad lateral 

 fascia. The under side of the body and base of the tail 

 in the male are bright orange spotted with black. In the 

 female these parts, as well as the tail, pale greyish-green 

 without spots (Bell). The usual length is from 5^ to 6^ 

 inches. 



THE SLOW-WORM. 



Another reptile often wantonly killed, being ignorantly 

 taken for a snake, is the BLIND or SLOW WORM (Anguis 

 fragilis; family, Anguidce) ; it is, in fact, closely allied to the 

 lizards. Bell says : " It makes its appearance at an earlier 

 season than any other of our scaled reptiles, and retires in 

 the autumn under masses of decayed wood or leaves, or 

 into soft dry soil, where it is covered with heath or brush- 



