APRIL DAYS 53 



natural relics, where the record of a summer is 

 written in dead litter, that our store of knowledge 

 of these creatures may best be enriched. There, 

 in Nature's own garden, already decked with plant- 

 life for the spring, where the first butterfly loves to 

 flit along the sweet-flavoured breath of the land, 

 reptiles may most readily be found, when they 

 come forth in the vernal resurrection of life and 

 movement. In such a spot the lizard may be seen 

 basking on a favourite stone, around him a carpet 

 of dead leaves unstirred by the breeze, yet crisp 

 enough to be rustled by crawling ants. You may, 

 by approaching cautiously, come within a yard of 

 him, so that you can see how intently he is look- 

 ing, wondering what peril threatens, all the minute 

 symmetry of his scaly back lit up in unnumbered 

 jewel-points by the sun, his long tail curved 

 easily, and his delicate claws, though so small, 

 retaining a hold upon the support. But notice ! 

 he nevertheless is in such fear that he restrains as 

 much as possible the pulsative movement at the 

 shoulders, which indicates his breathing. With- 

 draw a little, and this fear will abate. You may, 

 after a little while, see him capture an insect, or 



