SOME DERBYSHIRE FONTS. 



143 



detail, presenting as it does many very unusual and quaint 

 features. First and foremost is a spirited carving of a 

 salamander, a genus of dragon-like lizard, a very occasional 

 ornament upon fonts, which is here represented as crawling 

 round one side of the font, the south, and its mouth 

 supporting the curious little attached bowl, of which brief 

 mention has already been made (figs. 2 and 3). A few examples 

 of fonts bearing salamanders are given at the end of this 



Fig. 2. — Salamander from the West side. 



paper. The usual representation of this reptile is, as here, 

 that of a lizard with bifurcated tail, nearly always with a single 

 coil in it, a scaly body, wings, and a human cast of 

 countenance wearing an expression of dissatisfaction, which is 

 particularly to be observed on the font at Norton, Derbyshire. 

 Two seems to be its full complement of legs, which are placed 

 in the forward part of its body. Its neck is covered with 

 scales, while its large eyes are placed well forward in its head 



