LIZARDS. 



93 



reticulations upon a dark, almost black ground, while in E. depressa, the spots or 

 reticulations are black, or very dark, upon a pale pearl-grey ground. As a rule, 

 colour characters are held by systematic biologists to be of but little value ; 

 when, however, such colour distinction is found to obtain without exception 

 throughout an extensive series of individuals, colour marking, and more especially the 

 pattern of its distribution, undoubtedly becomes a reliable element in specific 



diagnosis. These 

 superficially very 

 closely allied 

 species are found 

 to differ materi- 

 ally in their more 

 minute structural 

 organisation, 

 notably in the 



SPINE-TAILED LIZARD, Eijerma dfpressa. TWO-THIRDS NATURAL SIZE. 



sculpturing of 

 their scales. The 

 contour of the 

 body of the 

 smaller variety is 

 also, as its tech- 

 nical name im- 

 plies, very much 

 more depressed. 



In captivity these two species of Egernia manifested a much more shy and 

 retiring disposition than the several lizards previously described. At all times, unless 

 feeding, they displayed the most active desire to take advantage of the nearest covert 

 that presented itself, and, under such conditions, much patience had to be exercised 

 in securing the several photographic representations of the species that are reproduced 

 in these pages. The food question with these lizards was, on their first acquisition, 

 a troublesome one. They utterly refused to take of their own accord, animal food of 

 any kind which, judging from the carnivorous habits of an allied species, apparently 

 E. Kingii, also abundant in the Abrolhos Islands, it was presumed they would 

 appreciate. In order to keep them alive, small pieces of meat were daily 

 administered them by gentle persuasion, and these, on being placed well within 

 their mouths, were contentedly swallowed. Later on, the chance placing of a 

 fragment of vegetable material within reach of their perambulations elicited the fact 

 that they were essentially vegetable feeders, and from that date they regaled regularly 

 and voraciously on fruit and vegetable substances of the most varied description, 

 lettuce leaves, however, usually proving the prime favourite. 



A little episode in their pre-salad " beef-eating " days will be found somewhat 

 quaintly represented in the photographic reproduction appended as a tail -piece to this 

 Chapter. It portrays three specimens of Eyernia Stokesii sitting up patiently awaiting 

 their mid-day meal. In order to repress their otherwise too ardent tendencies to run 



