8 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL RtOLOGlCAL SOCIETY. 



(luring the operation as any laceration of the mneoiis 

 membrane may easily lead to canker. When a snake 

 bites it does not as a rule retain its hold, and this is true 

 for the constrictors, unless they have seized prey; and 

 tliis is directly the reverse of tlie next group, the lizards. 

 "When the latter bite they usually hold on firmly, 

 gnndiug their teeth into one's hand. It is advisable 

 to use great caution when the larger ones are being 

 liandled. 



Lizards are rather more difficult to deal witli in a 

 satisfactory manner in captivity. 



As mentioned before, they require an amount of 

 sunshine before they will feed readily, (juite indepen- 

 dently of the temperature of the case. The Britisli 

 species, of course, do not require artificial heat, but 

 will feed well and remain active during the day, only 

 becoming dull at niglit time. 



Most lizards are carnivorous and will eat worms and 

 insects of all sorts, the larger kinds will take mice or 

 small birds. Very few groups show such diversity of 

 form and special adaptability for various modes of life 

 as do these creatures. There are the water species, 

 mostly with compressed bodies and tails; the tree living 

 ones, with more or less long wliip-like tails and strong 

 claws; the Haticiied sand or desert species ; (he curious 

 (ieckos, with their ])almate lamellated discs which enable 

 tliem to cling to the sides of walls and to run up to and 

 across ceilings. A i-emaikable peculiarity of many 

 lizards is the ease wiili wliicli iliey paii wilii a ])oiii()n 

 of ilieir tails, owing to a sj)ecial mode oi ait iculation, 

 and wliicli no <l()ub< aids them often in avoiding capture; 

 aiiotliei' use of llic lail is as a balancing oigan wliile 

 lunniiig or climbing. 



Amoni>> tlic iaiirer ones whicli arc comnionlv 



