Eyed Lizakd.- 



-REPTILES.- 



-ViviPAEous Lizard. 



13 



of the Mediterranean. It frequents dry, arM places, 

 anicjiig rocks, &c., exposed to the influence of the sun, 

 and may be freipiently seen in the neiglihonrhood of 

 Montjiellier, climbing along the bushes and hedges, or 

 over large stones in search of insects. It is usually 

 about si.\teen inches in length, though sometimes it 

 reaches that of two feet and upwards, and is of a bright, 

 glossy, green colour on tlie ujiper parts of the body, 

 ornamented with round spots of gold and blue, and 

 wilh rings and irregular markings of black ; tlie under- 

 part is white, with a fine f/lace of green. Its food con- 

 sists of insects, especially beetles and grasshoppers, 

 worms, frogs, mice, shrews, and other small verte- 

 brated animals. It is a bold creature, and will bite 

 severely. If attacked by a dog it will defend itself, 

 and fastening on his muzzle, will allow itself to be killed 

 rather than let go its hold. There is nothiug poison- 

 ous, however, in its bite, as was at one time erroneously 

 believed. Laiu'enti, an Italian naturalist, nuide a num- 

 ber of experiments upon this subject, which were 

 perfectly conclusive of this fact. The Eyed Lizard 

 rmis with great swiftness, and is said to be able to 

 leap remarkably high. Dante, in his Inferno, canto 25, 

 alludes to the fondness for heat, and the quick motion 

 of this lizard, which is known in Italy liy the name of 

 lunnurro. He says — 



" As underneath the dog-st.ir's scorching ray, 

 The Tiimarro, darting swift from hedge to hedge. 

 Appears like h'ghtning if lie cross the way." 



When young, it digs for itself a burrow in form of a 

 trench, in the furrows of fields, especially where the 

 soil is sand ; and when adult, it excavates its retreats 

 in a hard sand, often between two layers of a cal- 

 careous rock, having an abrupt slope, and exposed 

 more or less directly to the south or south-east. It 

 cannot bear the etl'ects of cold ; and thus the assertion 

 of some naturalists that this lizard is found in northern 

 climates is doubtful. On the authority of Hay ar.d 

 Linnajus, however, it is said to inhabit Sweden, and also 

 Kamtschatka. In this latter country, we are informed 

 that the natives regard it with terror, and consider it 

 as an envoy of the infernal jiowers! 



THE COMMON GREEN LIZARD [Lacerta viridis) is 

 much smaller than the preceding, and is a native of 

 the saiue countries, extending, however, as far as the 

 island of Guernsey, one of the Channel Islands. In 

 general, it is of a beautiful metallic green colour, 

 becoming paler on the imder surface of the body, and 

 fading into a yellow tint. The hack is often freckled 

 with black, and sometimes the head is blue. Its 

 hivourite jilaces of resort are tangled brushwood, brakes, 

 and thickets, where it may be seen climbing the stems 

 of the bushes with great facilit}', and feeding upnu 

 insects. It is a confident little creature, may be readily 

 tamed, and taught to come to the hand for its food, 

 and to drink from the hollow of the palm of any one to 

 whom it is accustomed. It will lie coiled up between 

 the two hands, enjuyhig the warmth, and not offering 

 to escape. This little Ureen Lizard is often brouglit 

 in cages to this country by Italians lor show or sale. 

 Its movements are very quick and graceful. Indeed, 

 as Mr. Martin remarks, " its beatify and gracefidness 

 are such recommendations that it is often kept in cages, 



which should have an iiuier compartment, filled with 

 dried moss or bran, amidst which it buries itself in 

 order to pass the winter." '■ It seldom," he adds, 

 " attempts to bite; and, itideed, as we liave experienced, 

 its bite is a ])inch scarcely to be felt." It is very 

 impatient of cold, and its chief delight is to lie and 

 bask in the rays of the sun, in which it glitters with 

 metallic effulgence. Its ordinary size is about fifteen 

 inches, though individtials are occasionally met with 

 one and a half feet long, the tail being usually twice 

 the length of the body. 



There are two species of Lizards found in Great 

 Britain — the Sand Lizard and the Viviparous or Scaly 

 Lizard. The first i^f these — 



THE SAND LIZARD (Lacerla cnjilis) is smaller 

 than the green lizard, and is short in proportion to its 

 thickness. The legs are short, and the tail, whicli is 

 rather thick and swollen at its root, is usually about 

 one-thiid longer than the body. Tlie usual length 

 of the Sand Lizard is about seven or eight inches ; 

 tlie bod3', including the head, measuring about three 

 and a half, and the tail four and a half inches ; but 

 Mr. Bell has seen individuals in this country nearly a 

 foot long. In colours, individuals vary veiy much ; in 

 general, however, the tint of tlie upper parts is sandy- 

 brown, with obscure longitudinal marks of a darker 

 brown, and a series of black rounded spots down the 

 sides, each spot marked with a white or yellowish dot 

 in the centre. The sides are often tinged with green. 

 It is a northern species, rarely occurring so far soutli 

 as Italy, but not uncommon in the northern parts 

 of France, and the middle districts of the European 

 Continent ; it is not very frequent in this country, but 

 extends as far north as Sweden and Denmark. Mr. 

 Bell, in his excellent work on the " British Reptiles," 

 informs us that the Sand Lizard is common in the 

 neighbourhood of I'oole in Dorsetshire, its geneial 

 abode being on sandy heaths, " where it is generally 

 seen crossing the small by-patlis with considerable 

 swiftness." It is also occasionally seen on the sunny 

 sides of green banks, basking in the sun's rays, and 

 retreating quickly on the aiiproaeh of any intruder. 

 Mr. Martin says he has often seen it in this country in 

 sandy places covered with brushwood, and in warm 

 copses. " It is quick and active, and its movements 

 as it runs along are serpentine. When pursued, it 

 makes for its burrow, or dives beneath the matted and 

 thick herbage, escaping from sight with singular rapi- 

 dity. If seized it will turn and bite, but its bite is very 

 trirting. Unlike the green lizard, it is impatient of 

 confinement, and soon jiines to death, never becoming 

 familiar." The female lays her eggs, to the nuiuber vi 

 twelve or fourteen, in hollows in the sand, which she 

 excavates for the purpose, and having covered them 

 carefully with sand, she leaves them to be hatched by 

 the solar heat. The other British species — 



THE VIVIPAROUS or SCALY Lizard {Zooloat 

 vwipara) is niucli smaller and more graceful in ita 

 movements than the sand lizard. The head is mor) 

 depressed, the feet are more slender, and the body is 

 more .slim in general form. It is usually from five 

 to six or six and a half inches long, and, thou.di 

 it varies much iu markings, its ordinary colour is 



