1 4 Lizards. REP'J 
greenish or olive-brown, with a daih brown line down 
tlie middle of the back, which is often somewhat inter- 
rupted. A broad band extends parallel with this 
on each side, and in the intervals between these are 
olten one or more rows of black dots. In the male, the 
under part of the body and base of the tail are bright 
oi'ange spotted with black ; in the female, pale greyish- 
green without spots. It is a pretty, active, gentle little 
creature, and is chiefly found in dry,- sunny banks, 
thickets, and copses. In England it is very common, 
much more so than the sand lizard, and is also met with 
in Ireland. On the Continent it is not so abundant, 
but it exists in France, Italy, Germany, and Switzer- 
land. In this latter country, we are told by M. Tschudi, 
that it frecpients in preference the forests of dry pines, 
making its runs under the fallen leaves. To these it 
retreats on the appearance of danger. Its motions are 
singularly rapid and sudden, and it darts on its insect 
prey with the velocity of an arrow. “ Its sight,” says 
Mr. Martin, “ is very acute ; the instant it perceives an 
enemy it takes refuge in its burrow. Its hearing 
appears also to be good. Some years since, while in a 
small wood in Lancashire, seated on a felled tree, we 
saw several of these animals sporting within a few 
3'ards of us, and chasing their prey. We could not 
but admire their light but graceful actions, and for a 
cunsiilerable time forbore to make either the slightest 
noise or movement ; suddenly, however, we snapped a 
dried branch asunder, and in an instant they had all 
disappeared ; in a short time, allured by the bright 
sunbeams, they emerged from their retreats, and on 
repeating the experiment, they again hastened to their 
burrows as before. The ground was covered with 
half-decayed leaves, and vegetables springing up 
through the moss, and it was in vain to endeavour to 
obtain one ; we turned over heaps of leaves and grass, 
but they made their way more quickly than we could 
follow them. We thought at the time, and have often 
thought since, of die utility of these little creatures in 
gardens and greeidiouses, insects and larvie being their 
subsistence.” Instead of depositing her eggs in the 
sand to be hatched by the warmth of the sun, as is the 
case with the’ other lizards we have mentioned, the 
female of the present species retains the eggs within 
lier body until the young are ready to leave them, and 
thus they are produced alive. Hence the name given 
to it of VioiiKirous Lizard. These young, when brought 
forth are fully formed, and capable of running about, 
and very shortly afterwards of taking their own food. 
Their ordinary number is four or five. They are often 
seen in company with their mother, and are, probablj'’, 
for some time under her immediate guidance, though it 
is scarcely probable that this continues for any consider- 
able period. 
THE TILmUERTA, or Gkey-wall Lizard {Z. 
mnralis), is another species of the same genus 
Zaoiuca, and is the most common Saurian reptile 
in France, and in all the temperate parts of Europe. 
It is from five to six inches long, and inhabits sandy 
places, and frequents the walls of gardens, on which 
it climbs with a surprising degree of agility. It lives 
on flies, ants, and other insects. The vivacity of 
its motions, the grace of its rapid gait, its agreeable 
ITLES. Sluxdeu-toxgued Lizards. 
and slender form, cause it to be very generally remarked. 
M. Latreille has given such a graphic description of 
it that we will quote it at length. “ Every one,” he 
says, “ knows this lizard ; and there are few who have 
not, in childhood, made it an object of amusement : it 
is almost domestic ; and its presence is the more desir- 
able as it thins the hosts of annoying insects. The 
ancients called it the ‘ friend of man.’ It is a harmless 
little creature, and lives in the chinks of walls and old 
buildings, where it deposits its eggs. AVhen — on fine 
spring days — a bright sunlight illumines a sloping, 
verdant bank, or a wall which reflects the heat, 
this lizard may be seen stretching itself on the 
grass newly springing, or on the stones, as if in the 
enjoyment of pleasure ; it revels in the grateful warmth, 
and testifies its satisfaction by gentle movements of 
its slender tall. It darts like an arrow upon its 
prey, or into some more commodious spot ; but so 
far from flying on the approach of man, it appears to 
regard him with complacency. At the least noise, 
however, which alarms it, at the falling even of a leaf, 
it rolls itself up, tumbles down, and remains for a little 
time as if stunned ; or, it darts oft", is agitated, returns, 
again conceals itself, reappears, and in an instant 
describes a maze of tortuous circuits, which the eye 
can scarcely follow, folds itself up repeatedly, and at 
last retreats to some hiding-place, where it remains till 
its fear has subsided.” It is so common in the environs 
of Vienna, that Laurenti declares that it might serve 
during the entire summer for the support of a great 
number of poor persons. Its flesh, wholesome, and 
productive of appetite, according to this observer, 
might be baked or fried, like that of small fishes. 
Formerly, the properties of this same flesh, were 
highly vaunted as a remedy agaiiiSt cutaneous and 
lymphatic complaints, &c., but its use is altogether 
abandoned at present for any medical purposes. 
ROUGll-TOED LIZARDS.* 
The particular arrangement and form of the scales 
of the head and belly, &c., of this group of lizards, give 
them, for the most part, a peculiar physiognomy, which 
enables the scientific observer to distinguish them very 
readily. Several species are described; little is known 
of their habits. The greater number are natives of 
South Africa, and we are indebted to Sir A. Smith for 
the chief part of what we do know. 
THE CAPE SPINE-EOOT (Acanthodadylus Capensis) 
is a lizard about ten inches in length, the tail forming 
six of this. It is of a yellowish -brown colour above, 
the flanks being black-brown, and variegated with 
two series of spots, and two longitudinal lines of the 
same colour. The toes are long, slender, and each 
externally edged with a serrated fringe of slender, 
pointed scales. “ This lizard is found in the sandy 
districts of Great Namaqua land, and where the surface 
of the country is irregular, it is generally met on the 
highest spots. WHiere small sand hills occur, it resorts 
to them in preference to the other localities, and, from 
the peculiar assistance it derives from the serrated fringe 
which edges its toes, it runs over the loose sand, on the 
* The Prisliflnctijles of Dumeiil and Ih'bron, from the two 
Greek words, a saw, and daktulos {SxxTvXoi),a,toti. 
