498 SAUEIANS 



scales ; the tongue is long and forked ; the scales of the tail 

 are disposed in rings ; a minute plate of bone above protects 

 the orbits of the eyes ; a long row of pores runs down each thigh ; 

 the palate is toothed. 



The EYED LIZARD, L. ocellata, of Southern Europe, attains to 

 about sixteen inches in length. Its ground color is a bright 

 glossy green, ornamented with round eye-shaped spots of gold 

 and blue, and with rings and irregular markings of black. It is 

 very bold and resolute ; when attacked by a dog, it fastens itself 

 on the muzzle of its enemy, and will suffer itself to be killed be- 

 fore it will let go its hold. The female lays seven or eight 

 oblong eggs. 



The GREEN LIZARD. L. viridis, is an elegant species, but in 

 size is much less than the preceding. It is readily tamed, and 

 taught to come to the hand for food; will lie coiled in the hand 

 without attempting to escape ; on account of its beauty and grace- 

 fulness, it is often kept in cages furnished with an inner com- 

 partment filled with dried moss or bran; amidst which it buries 

 itself in order to pass the winter. It seldom bites ; and, indeed, 

 its bite is said to be "a pinch scarcely to be felt." 



The SAND LIZARD, L. agilis, is considerably larger than the 

 Green Lizard ; is a native of England and most parts of the 

 Continent of Europe. Its general color is a sandy brown, spot- 

 ted with black on the sides, each spot having a white or yellowish 

 dot in the center. Unlike the Green Lizard, it is impatient of 

 confinement, and soon pines to death, never growing familiar. 

 It is sometimes a foot long, measuring from the nose to the ex- 

 tremity of the tail. The female buries her eggs in the sand, and 

 leaves them to be hatched by the heat of the sun. 



The VIVIPAROUS or SCALY LIZARD, Zootoca, (Gr. zoos, living ; 

 tikto, to bring forth,) vivipara. This species of the sub-genus 

 Zootoca is characterised by the palate being toothless. This is 

 also found in Great Britain and in the Continent of Europe, and 

 is "a pretty, active little creature, frequenting dry, sunny banks, 

 thickets and copses." It seldom exceeds five or six inches in 

 length, and is very gentle and harmless. It differs from the 

 preceding species in producing living young. The eggs are 

 hatched before exclusion, and not deposited in the sand ; hence, 

 the term applied to it, "viviparous." This Lizard ordinarily 

 produces four or five young, often seen in company with the 

 mother, and for sometime, probably, guided by her, but lively 

 and alert, and capable of procuring their own food. This species 

 presents various markings, but in most, the upper parts are of a 

 greenish or olive brown, with lines of dark brown on the back 



