SNAKES AND LIZARDS. 305 



the muzzle. The dorsal surface is black, and the sides 

 are reddish-brown, with minute dark spots ; the belly is 

 of a light dull yellow, the legs are dark brown above, and 

 light coloured on their under surface, and the tail, long 

 and tapering, is of a lively and brilliant ultramarine blue. 

 This pretty little Saurian is very active in its movements, 

 frequenting the long grass and undergrowth, feeding on 

 Mies, Locusts, and Caterpillars, and, in its turn, very fre- 

 quently falling a prey to the small species of Viper pecu- 

 liar to these islands. 



The Green Turtle (Chelonia my das), notwithstanding 

 the inclemency of the season, was seen swimming in the 

 tranquil bays, and a handsome yellow Hydrophis, banded 

 with black, was also met with, frequenting the rocky 

 coasts, hiding in holes of Corallines, and basking on the 

 exposed rocks. It swims with great elegance, and dives 

 with facility. 



A species of Trigonocephalm, with the poison-fangs 

 enormously developed, attains here to a very large size. 

 A small Coluber is very common; and a handsome 

 spotted Tropidonotus was procured, very similar to the 

 T. natrix, or Ringed Snake, of Europe. 



A brilliant green Tree-Frog (Hyla], with a bright 

 orange abdomen, is found on the margins of the rivers, 

 and among the four species of Lizards I noticed, in- 

 cluding the blue-tailed Zootica and the Tacliysaurm 

 Japonicus, was a large brown species, remarkable for its 

 black eyes, the golden iris being very narrow, and 

 entirely concealed by the eyelids. The Toad, the Tree- 

 Frog, the Viper, the Lizard, and the Snake, assume 

 nearly the same form, size, and colour, that we observe 



VOL. II. X 



