CHAP. II. EFFECT OF MUSIC UPON LIZARDS. 45 



personal observation, having been, generally, more de- 

 sirous of avoiding them, than of ascertaining their habits. 

 But with lizards we have made several amusing experi- 

 ments. The elegant little species commonly called the 

 Lacerta agilis, although rare in Britain, is found in 

 such abundance in the South of Europe, that hundreds, 

 on a fine sunny day, may be seen in a single walk, 

 basking on the stones and walls, or pursuing their 

 search after insects. In Sicily and Malta they are 

 particularly numerous, and very beautiful. The habit 

 they have of turning the head on one side, and some 

 vague recollection of a story, in the Arabian Nights, 

 about an attentive lizard, first induced us to try what 

 effect the humming of a song would have upon these 

 creatures, and it was, really, most entertaining. The 

 little reptile, instead of running away with its usual 

 swiftness, would remain perfectly still, inclining its 

 head on one side, as if to drink in every intonation. 

 The softer and more plaintive was the tune, the more 

 intense was the attention it evinced ; and if a whistle 

 was substituted for a hum, it would suffer itself to be 

 approached so near, that any one unacquainted with its 

 astonishing swiftness would fancy he could capture it 

 with his hand. This curious fact, once discovered, 

 often proved a source of much amusement. Often, 

 after a long ramble, spent in sketching or botanising, 

 we used to repose in a shady spot, among the rocks, 

 and charm these pretty little creatures so successfully, 

 that we have known them even to come out of their 

 holes, and thus form a little audience. On such occa- 

 sions, they sometimes stand remarkably upright upon 

 their fore legs, the hinder ones lying almost flat upon 

 the ground : the same attitude they also assume when 

 reconnoitring; but then the head is never turned on 

 one side, as if for the purpose of accurately hearing. 

 The same experiments were frequently made upon the 

 smaller lizards of Brazil, which, more or less, exhibited 

 the same fondness for tunes. Every one is aware that 

 this is equally evinced by birds; but we believe that 



