Fig. 105. SEPS CHALCIUES. 



LIZARDS. 



CHAPTEE XLIV. 



" Virides occultant spineta lacertos." 



AT least half-a-dozen species of lizards occur on the 

 Riviera : the lively and ubiquitous Wall Lizard 

 (Lacerta muralis), two species of Gecko, the Green 

 Lizard (L. viridis), the splendid Ocellata, and the 

 queer-looking Seps. 



Risso enumerates several varieties of that inve- 

 terate sun- worshipper the bright-eyed little Muralis 

 (Fig. 106). The manners and customs of these lizards 

 are more curious than might be expected. I watched 

 a pugnacious little saurian one day which had taken 

 up its post on a low broad-topped stone wall. When 

 another lizard appeared, he drove him away. All the 

 others fled : no one seemed a match for him. The 

 little tyrant had the wall to himself. When a 

 claimant turned up, he had only to arch his neck and 

 assume a threatening attitude, then the other imme- 

 diately showed the white feather. After a while, I 

 saw a rather small one crawl up and trot along in 



