British Reptiles : Lizards 



to prefer the security of such to the open meadows or 

 heaths. The writer was some sixteen years of age 

 when he first looked upon the graceful outlines of a 

 Green Lizard. A boy in the second form received a 

 parcel one day from his parents who were resident in 

 Asia Minor. The parcel contained the carcass of a 

 Green Lizard, and all the school wondered. The note 

 accompanying the parcel told us bo) s that some thirty- 

 seven Lizards of the same species had been caught in 

 one day, and in our hearts we thanked ourselves we 

 did not live in that eastern country. We pictured the 

 risks associated with the capture of such animals, and 

 conjured up the heroic courage requisite to the slaying 

 of even a single Lizard. Yet this lovely creature is as 

 innocent of harm as a Dove. 



WALL LIZARD (Lacerta muralis^ Plate XIII.). 



Having given the Green Lizard a place in our list, 

 it behoves one to tender a like compliment to the Wall 

 Lizard. As has been suggested in the previous 

 chapter, it is simply a question whether the fauna of 

 the Channel Islands are, or are not, to be recognized 

 in the British list. Anyhow, both the Green and Wall 

 Lizards are natives, not of our mainland, but the 

 Channel Islands only. The true habitat of the one 

 now under consideration is the countries of Southern 

 Europe, although the borders of Germany and similarly 

 situated countries are named as producing this species 

 occasionally. It is said to be a common Lizard in and 



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