158 OVIPAROUS QUADRUPEDS. 



bands, five or fix inches long. Does not bite when taken, but foon be-r 

 comes familiar : was called by the ancients the Friend of Man. Its tail 

 is very fragile j nearly twice as long as the body ; fpotced black and white; 

 fometimes re-jhoots a part mutilated. Feeds on infects, efpecially thofe 

 which infeft the garden or the field; to fei^e them, darts its tongue; 

 which is large, forked, and has little afperities, fcarce fenfible, yet enough 

 to hold its winged prey. Can live long without food ; is torpid in cold 

 weather. The female lays her eggs in the warmeft expofure ; they are 

 round, fcarce half an inch in diameter, are hatched by the warmth of the 

 atmofphere. This lizard quits his fkin, after his awaking from fleepj 

 and alfo before he enfers on his torpid ftate. 



THE GREEN LIZARD 



IS confidercd by Linn^/Eus as a variety of the grey, but is much larger, 

 and more Ihewy in its colours, which appear in perfection when 

 it has acquired its new covering in fpring. In the hot countries is fome- 

 tinies thirty inches long ; is of the fame gentle manners as the former. 



THECAMELEON 



IS a very extraordinary animal ; is from eleven to fourteen inches long ; 

 delights to fit on trees, being afraid of ferpents, fr(^m which it is 

 Vnable to efcape on the ground ; is very gentle and inoffenfive, but faid 

 to be always fearful or angry. This report is probably unfounded. 



The head is flat at top ; and on the fides: two rifings originate from 

 the nofe, pafs immediately over the eyes, and unite behind the head ; 

 where they meet a third coming from its fummit, and two others coming 

 from the chaps, The neck is fiiort; the noftrils are at the end of the 

 muzzle ; the mouth is often fo clofely fiiut, that the feparation of the 

 lips is icarce difcernible. No opening is found for the ears ; its hear- 

 ing therefore very imperfect; has no teeth, but bony ridges; the lips 

 i^ivide beyond the jaws j the t^ongue refembles ^n e^rth-worm, five or 



\ fix 



