THE EYED LIZAitD. 



SCALY LIZARD. Zootoca vivipara. 



the gorse are always lurking among the grass, to the detriment of a tender skin. They 

 can swim tolerably if thrown into the water, but do not seem to seek that element 

 voluntarily. I have generally found that when flung into water, they lie for a short time 

 quite motionless, with their limbs 

 extended, and tail straight, as if be- 

 wildered with the sudden change. 

 They soon, however, get their head 

 towards shore, and then, with a 

 serpentine movement of the tail, 

 scull themselves to land. . 



This is one of the reptiles that 

 produces living young, the eggs 

 being hatched just before the 

 young Lizards are born. With 

 reptiles, the general plan is to 

 place the eggs in some spot where 

 they are exposed to the heat of 

 the sunbeams ; but this Lizard, 

 together with the viper, is in the 

 habit of lying on a sunny bank 

 before her young ones are born, 

 apparently for the purpose of 

 gaining sufficient heat to hatch 

 the eggs. This process is aided 

 by the thinness of the membrane 

 covering the eggs. 



The colour of this little Lizard 



is extremely variable, but in general, the upper parts are olive-brown, with a dark brown 

 line along the middle of the back, this line being often broken here and there. Along 

 each side runs a broader band, 

 and between these bands are sun- 

 dry black spots and splashes. The 

 under parts are orange, spotted 

 with black in the male, and olive- 

 grey in the female. The total 

 length of the Scaly Lizard is 

 about six inches. 



THE beautiful EYED LIZAED, 

 or GREAT SPOTTED GEEEN LIZAED, 

 as it is sometimes called, from 

 the colours with which it is de- 

 corated, is a native of Southern 

 Europe, and various other warm 

 portions of the world, being found 

 in Algiers, Senegal, and parts of . 

 America. 



This creature inhabits dry 

 spots, where the sun has most 

 power, and may be seen among 

 hedges, underwood, or loose stones, 

 running about in search of food, 

 and displaying the gem-like bril- 

 liancy of its clothing, as it darts from spot to spot with the agility which characterizes aD 

 the species of this genus. 



It is of rather a fierce nature, having little fear, and boldly attacking any antagonist 



BTED LIZARD. oce-ta ocella'a. 



