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YERTEBRATA. 
usually with a nictitating membrane. The body is elongated, and generally of a somewhat 
cylindrical form, terminated posteriorly with a very long, tapering tail, which is often much longer 
than the body. The feet are well developed, and generally furnished with five distinct toes 
of unequal length. The teeth are a little curved, and inserted in a slight furrow of the jaw ; 
they are hollow at the base, and are not very firmly attached to the bone. These Lizards, which 
must be regarded as the types of the Sauria, are confined to the countries of the eastern hemi- 
sphere, over the whole of which they are pretty generally distributed. They feed on insects and 
worms. 
Genus LACERTA : Lacerta. — To tMs belongs the Nimble Lizard, L. agilis — the Sand-Liz- 
ard of England, Lezard of the French : 
it is seven inches long ; color brown, 
though there are green varieties. It 
inhabits, sandy heaths, runs with 
agility, is very timid, but will attempt 
to bite when captured. The female 
lays twelve to fourteen eggs, which 
she covers with sand, and leaves 
them to be hatched by the heat. 
Found in France, England, and the 
middle countries of Europe ; is rare 
in Denmark and Sweden. 
Genus ZOOTOCA: Zootoca, in- 
cludes the Common Eubopean Liz- ■ 
ARD, Z. vivipara, six inches long; 
greenish-brown above ; orange be- 
neath, spotted with black. The fe- 
male of this species, instead of de- 
positing her eggs in the sand and 
leaving them to be hatched by the 
heat of the sun, produces them alive, 
five or six in number, perfectly 
formed, and capable of at once run- 
ning; about. She however bestows 
upon them a mother's care for a brief period. This is a graceful and gentle species, and is cap- 
able of being tamed. It seems to be confined to Middle Europe ; it is found in England, Scot- 
THE SAND LIZARD. 
