THE SMOOTH SHEATH-CLAW. 179 



these Geckos {Thecadactylus Icevis), resting near each 

 other on the trunk of a tree, beside a deep cleft. 

 Prom a sh'ght difference in their size, I supposed 

 them male and female. I struck at one with my 

 riding switch, but failed to reach it ; and they both 

 glided into the hollow tree. Soon, however, they 

 began to peep out again ; and I desired my servant 

 to mount the tree in order to drive them out ; which 

 he did by thrusting in a stick at the opposite side. 

 The larger darted out, and on being touched, pre- 

 cipitated himself to the ground, where he began to 

 wriggle with the usual awkward agility of the spe- 

 cies ; I struck him lightly with a stick, but in so 

 doing unfortunately severed the tail from the body. 

 The amputated member, however, continued for some 

 time to writhe in rapid contortions. I now put down 

 a tin canister on the ground with the open mouth just 

 before the animal's head, and on being touched behind, 

 it darted in, according to its natural propensity to take 

 refuge in dark holes and crevices; and I thus^securedit. 

 Its colour had been till now dark brown, handsomely 

 mottled with black, but on my arrival at home, I 

 found it of a dirty white or drab, with the mottlings 

 few and almost obsolete. * The stomach was found 

 on dissection to contain fragments of beetles, but in 

 the intestine was a leguminous seed. 



The appearance and physiognomy of this Lizard 

 are unprepossessing ; there is a savage sullenness in 



* In my little volume on " Reptiles," (Soc. Prom. Chr. Kn. 1850), 

 I have given a figure of this, as well as of some other Jamaican spe- 

 cies, engraved from my own drawings. 



