THB SCALY /.//./,'/'. 



Tin Si\ i INKD TAI: \.i n:\ also Itelongs to the Tegn.-\iiiv This pretty little Lizard, with 

 its dark green body, and yellow streaks. iiih:> th America. Mr. ll<>ll.r-,k makes the 



following remarks respecting its habits : "Tins in a \>T\ lively, active animal, choosing .Irs 

 and san<l\ places fur it> residence, and is frequently met with in tin- neighborhood of planta 

 tions. or near fences and hedp-s. MOM usually it is s,-,-n on tin- ground in search of in- 

 its motions are remarkably quick, and it runs with gn-at s|ieed. It b vary timid. It fe-ds 

 on insects, and generally seeks its food towanls the elo*e of the day, w hen they may be seen 

 in corn fields, far from their usual retreat; and Uot unfrequenth I have met mal.- and female 

 ill company." 



The Six-lined Lizard (Onemidophorwt aerilinfo/u*), called in the South "Taragiiera," 

 inhabits the States from Virginia to Mexico 



A brief notice must also be given of two curious sjM-cies. : ,Uu belonging to the same family. 

 The first b the SPURRED CEICTROPYX, or SPURRED Li/..\i:i ' 'r ntr<ij>t/j- <,//,>// ,/*), BO called from 

 two jttir of small, sharp, horny sjiikt-s. \vlii<-h an- set at earh side of the hax- of the tail. The 

 color of tliis species is olive-green above, with three strwiks of a jiider hue, and a double 

 series of black spots on the lick. Below it is greenish-white. 



Tl ther species b the GREAT DRAOOX (Ada guianfn*i*\ a native of tropical America. 



Thb fine Lizard is generally from four to nearly six feet in length, and is strong and nimble. 

 It does not appear to be so good a swimmer as some of the preceding s|>eeics. but runs fast, 

 and can climb trees with great agility. It is generally found among the marshy nnd low-h inn 

 lands, though it spends more time on the land than in the water. 



!t is a desperate fighter when attacked, and as it has a habit of hiding itself in a deep 

 burrow, and bites fiercely at the hand that b thrust forward to s.-i/>.- it. it b not easily rap- 

 tured. It i-. lM>"--\'-r, much sought after, as its flesh is very good, and the eggs an- thought 

 to be great delicacies. There an- usually from thirty to forty eggs. The general color of this 

 reptile is olive, yellow beneath, and mottled with brown. 



There are twelve genera and about forty species of the family Tri(/<r, or the Tegm-xins. 

 this nume being derived from some local designation. They are all peculiar to the Now 

 World. 



THE true LIZARDS, or Laoertinidie, now come U-fore our notice. The tongue of these 

 reptiles is long, flat, can be thrust out to some distance, and very deeply forked. The teeth 

 are hollow at their roots, the scales are keeled, and the sides are flat. They are scattered over 

 the greater i>art of the globe. 



Europe possesses at least two examples of this family, one of which, the SCALY LIZARD, 

 b extremely common. 



This pretty little reptile b extremely plentiful upon heaths, banks and commons, where 

 it may be seen darting about in its own quick, lively manner. Hitting among the grass stalks 

 with a series of sharp, tw i>ting springs, snapping up the unsus|>ecting Hies as they rest on the 

 grass blades, and ever and anon slipping under shelter of a gorse bush, or heather tuft, only 

 to emerge in another moment brisk and lively as ever. 



These little creatures are so quick and sharp sighted, that it b not very easy to catch 

 them, especially if they are among gorse bushes, for they twbt about so adroitly, that a 

 smart movement of the hand is required to follow them, and the prickly jxiint.s of the gorse 

 are always lurking amont: the grass, to the detriment of a tender skin. They can swim toli-r 

 ably if thrown into the water, but do not seem to seek that element voluntarily. I have 

 generally found that when flung into water, they lie for a short time quite motionless, with 

 their limbs extended, and tail straight, a- if U-wilden-d with the smid-n change. They soon, 

 however, get their he-ad toward* ~li..n-. and then, with a serpentine movement of the tail, 

 scull themselves to land. 



This is one of the reptiles that produces living \ounir. the eggs being hatched just bef 

 the youni: Li/jmls are born. With reptiles, the general plan is to place the eggs in some spot 

 where they are exposed to the heat of the sunbejj in* ; but this i.j/;,pi. together with the \i]-r. 

 i- in th.- habit of lying on a sunny bank before h.-r young ones are born, apjun r the 



