LIZARDS. 423 
of the water, seize a man, and carry him away in spite of his cries and 
struggles. The beast plunged into the river with his prey, and neither 
Alligator nor man was afterwards seen. 
Tue true LIZARDS have four limbs, generally visible, but in a few instances 
hidden under the skin. Their body is long and rounded, and the tail is 
tapering and mostly covered with scales set in regular circles or “‘ whorls.” 
ENGLAND possesses at least two examples of the true Lizards, one of 
which, the SCALY LIZARD, is extremely common. This pretty little reptile 
is extremely plentiful upon heaths, banks, and commons, where it may be 
seen darting about in its own quick, lively manner, flitting among the grass 
stalks with a series of sharp, twisting springs, snapping up the unsuspecting 
flies as they rest on the grass-blades, and ever and anon slipping under 
shelter of a gorse bush, or heather tuft, only to emerge, in another moment, 
brisk and lively as ever. 
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. 
UNTIL comparatively recent years, the SAND L1ZARD was confounded with 
the Scaly Lizard, which has just been described. 
SAND LIZARD.— (Lacerta agiles.) 
Though quick and lively in its movements, it is not so dashingly active as the 
scaly lizard, having a touch of deliberation as it runs from one spot to another, 
while the scaly lizard seems almost to be acted upon by hidden springs. 
Unlike the scaly lizird, this species lays its eggs in a convenient spot, and 
then leaves them to be hatched by the warm sunbeams. Sandy banks with 
a southern aspect are the favoured resorts of this reptile, which scoops out 
certain shallow pits in the sand, deposits her eggs, covers them up. and then 
leaves them to their fate. Mr. Bell, who has paid great attention to this 
