826 
NATURAL HISTORY 
lizards, frogs, toads, &c.— Its bite is cured by volatile 
alkaline spirit, particularly that preparation called eau» 
deluce; and even by fetid spirit of tartar. 
Green Lizard. The colouring of this species is 
seen in its greatest brilliancy about the beginning of 
spring; when, after having thrown off its old covering, it 
exposes its new skin, with all its bright enamelled scales, 
to the genial warmth of the sun’s rays, which, playing on 
the scales, gild them with undulating reflections. The 
upper parts of the body are of a beautiful green, more 
or less variegated with yellow, gray, brown, and even 
sometimes with red; the under parts being always more 
of a whitish colour. The colours of this species are 
subject to variety, becoming pale at certain seasons of 
the year, and more particularly after the death of the 
animal. It is chiefly in the warm countries that it shines 
with all its superb ornaments, like gold and precious 
stones. In these regions it grows to a larger size than 
in more temperate countries, being sometimes found 
thirty inches in length. — The inhabitants of Africa eat 
the flesh of this animal. 
The green lizard is by no means confined to the war- 
mest countries of both continents; it is found likewise 
in temperate regions, though it is there smaller and 
less numerous. It is not even known in Sweden, and 
in Kamtschatka; and in both countries, in spite of its 
beautiful appearance, it is looked on by the inhabi- 
tants with horror, from some strange superstitious pre- 
judices. 
Warty Lizard. (PI. 53.) This animal is six or sev- 
en inches in length, and entirely covered, except on the bel- 
ly, with small warts. The under parts are of a bright yel- 
low colour, and the upper mostly of a black brown, 
spotted with black. It is very common in this 
country, where it resides altogether either in the wa- 
ter, or in very damp places, and its tail being flat- 
tened perpendicularly, it uses it as a rudder in Swimming. 
It is usually seen crawling along the bottom, but it now 
and then rises, with a wriggling motion, to the surface. 
Being never seen in winter, these lizards are supposed 
