THE SMOOTH SHEATH-CLAW. 
179 
these Geckos {Thecadactylus Icevis), resting near each 
other on the trunk of a tree, beside a deep cleft. 
From a slight difference in their size, I supposed 
them male and female. I struck at one with my 
riding switch, but failed to reach it ; and they both 
glided into the hollow tree. Soon, however, they 
began to peep out again ; and I desired my servant 
to mount the tree in order to drive them out ; which 
he did by thrusting in a stick at the opposite side. 
The larger darted out, and on being touched, pre- 
cipitated himself to the ground, where he began to 
wriggle with the usual awkward agility of the spe- 
cies ; I struck him lightly with a stick, but in so 
doing unfortunately severed the tail from the body. 
The amputated member, however, continued for some 
time to writhe in rapid contortions. I now put down 
a tin canister on the ground with the open mouth just 
before the animal’s head, and on being touched behind, 
it darted in, according to its natural propensity to take 
refuge in dark holes and crevices ; and I thus^secured it. 
Its colour had been till now dark brown, handsomely 
mottled with black, but on my arrival at home, I 
found it of a dirty white or drab, with the mottlings 
few and almost obsolete. ^ The stomach was found 
on dissection to contain fragments of beetles, but in 
the intestine was a leguminous seed. 
The appearance and physiognomy of this Lizard 
are unprepossessing ; there is a savage sullenness in 
* In my little volume on “ Reptiles,” (Soc. Prom. Chr. Kn. 1850), 
I have given a figure of this, as well as of some other Jamaican spe- 
cies, engraved from my own drawings. 
