S TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



during the operation as any laceration of the mucous 

 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 

 this is directly the reverse of the next group, the lizards. 

 When the latter bite they usually hold on firmly, 

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

 to use great caution when the larger ones are being 

 handled. 



Lizards are rather more difficult to deal with in a 

 satisfactory manner in captivity. 



As mentioned before, they require an amount of 

 sunshine before they will feed readily, quite indepen- 

 dently of the temperature of the case. The British 

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

 will feed well and remain active during the day, only 

 becoming dull at night time. 



Most lizards are carnivorous and will eat worms -and 

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

 small birds. Yery 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 whip-like tails and strong 

 claws; the flattened sand or desert species ; the curious 

 Geckos, with their palmate lamellated discs which enable 

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

 across ceilings. A remarkable peculiarity of many 

 lizards is the ease with which they part with a portion 

 of their tails, owing to a special mode of articulation, 

 and which no doubt aids them often in avoiding capture ; 

 another use of the tail is as a balancing organ while 

 running or climbing. 



Among the larger ones which are commonly 



