164 



LIZARDS. 



course, not to the same extent. During an excursion to the islet of Filfla, on the 

 southern coast of Malta, in the month of June, I was surprised to find that all the 

 lizards on the rock were of a beautiful bronze-black, and so much tamer than their 

 agile brethren on the mainland. Many individuals were so tame that they 

 scrambled about our feet, and fed on the refuse of our luncheon." Whereas in the 

 Southern Tyrol these lizards remain active till December, and reappear by the 



ALGERIAN KEELED LIZARDS (f liat. size). 



middle of February, in Germany their winter sleep is considerably longer. Like 

 its congeners, this species has an exceedingly brittle tail; and it was observed 

 some years that on a certain road in Madeira all the lizards belonging to a nearly 

 allied species (L. dugesi) were without tails. The circumstance was explained 

 by the spot being the favourite resort of the midshipmen landing from the ships 

 visiting the island, who amused themselves by knocking off the lizards' tails. 



The members of the genus Lacerta, as we have seen, are 

 ' characterised by the presence of a well-marked collar on the neck, by 



