170 TWO SPECIES OF LAND LIZARDS. [PART II. 



six of these, together with seven of the ordinary 

 size, and the other seven, with five of the ordinary 

 size, all the small ones being of about the same 

 dimensions. The eggs of young birds are often 

 smaller than those of older ones, but these were 

 out of all proportion to the size of the bird. They 

 were besides unusually pointed at the small end. 

 None of these small eggs came to maturity, one of 

 the nests having been forsaken by the old bird, 

 and those of the other, which were placed under 

 a Common Hen, turning out to be addled. 



It was formerly generally considered that 

 there was but one species of land Lizard indi- 

 genous to this country. I had however for a 

 good while before I was aware that the question 

 had been set at rest by Professor Bell (who in 

 his work on British Reptiles distinguishes the 

 Lacerta agilis from the Zootoca vivipera), and 

 indeed before its publication, entertained a strong 

 suspicion that there were two distinct species, 

 having two or three times seen specimens such 

 bloated, mottled, ungainly looking beasts, as com- 

 pared with the bright symmetrical little fellows, 

 who occasionally dart across our path, all life and 

 activity, that I could not bring myself to believe 

 the great difference between them was attri- 



