152 
REPTILES. SAURIA. 
Lacerta- 
“ 3. L. anguiformis. Viperine Lizard — Head very light brown above, 
with four dark spots; yeUowish-white beneath. Back, with a black line 
along dhe middle, reaching from the head to about half an inch beyond the 
hind legs ; on each side of this, a broader one of dark brown (these, beyond the 
black line unite, and reach to the end of the tail) ; next to these, succeeds a 
fine yellow stripe, that extends to the end of the tail ; then a black one, which 
reaches no farther than the middle line, and afterwards a dark brown stripe, 
mixed with a few yellow spots extending to the end of the tail. A little 
above the hind legs, in some specimens, is a slight division of the scales, 
forming a transverse line. BeUy yellowish-white, with a few black spots. 
Tail, under part dirty white, spotted with black as far as within an inch of 
the end ; the remainder .marked i lengthways with long bars of black. Legs 
dark brown, spotted with black. Feet have aU five toes, with nails. Length 
7 inches and upwards : I saw one specimen above a foot long, but was not 
able to catch it — This lizard, which I think may,|with propriety, be describ- 
ed under the name Anguiformis, I have once or twice found near marshes, 
but its general abode is upon heaths ; this circumstance, together with its 
viperine appearance and colours, which have more than once deceived me in 
hastily passing it, induce me to suspect that it must be the L. anguiformis of 
Bay.’’ 
Ray takes notice of the L. viridis, or Green Lizard (Quad. 264.), as in- 
habiting Ireland. It occurs in Guernsey ; and, according to Pennant, it has 
been propagated in England. The upper parts of the body being rich, varie- 
gated green, the belly whitish, and the length being from 18 to 30 inches, 
distinguish it from the L. agilis. Pennant mentions a lizard, probably of this 
species, “ which was killed near Woscot, in the parish of Swinford, Worces- 
tershire, in 1741 , Avhich was 2 feet 6 inches long, and 4 inches in girth. The 
fore-legs were placed 8 inches from the head ; the hind-legs 5 inches beyond 
these ; the legs two inches long ; the feet divided into four toes, each furnish- 
ed with a sharp claw. Another was killed at Penbury, in the same county. 
Whether these are not of exotic descent, and whether the breed continues, 
is what we are at present uninformed of.” — Brit. Zool. iii. 22. 
In the Statistical Account of Little Dunkeld by the Rev. John Robertson, 
vol. vi. p. 361. is the following note. “ A quadruped found in the moors at 
the eastern extremity of the parish, is entitled to notice as a remarkable va- 
riety of the Lizard tribe. It is about 9 inches long, the body, or trunk, is of 
an unusual length in proportion to the tail, which does not taper gradually 
from the hind-feet, as in other lizards, but becomes suddenly small, like that 
of a mouse. The back is full of small protuberances, and guarded with a skin 
almost as hard as a sea-sheU. The eyes large, clear, and circular, like those 
of an ordinary trout ; the jaws more than an inch in length, and the teeth so 
strong as to be heard making a ringing noise upon the iron point of a pole at 
the distance of more than ten feet. It is believed in that part of the coun- 
try, that, about 50 years ago, the bite of this animal proved fatal to a child 
two years old* It is never seen but upon very dry ground. When irritated 
it expresses its rage by the reddening and glistening of its eyes.” 
These notices, of imperfectly known species or varieties, may probably ex- 
cite those who enjoy favourable opportunities to communicate more extended 
descriptions of their characters and distribution. 
EXTINCT SAURIAN REPTILES. 
L Crocodile. — The remains of several distinct species of animals 
belonging to this genus, occur in those strata which are placed 
above the independent coal formation. Of these the following 
may be noticed. 
