92 
LETTERS FROM 
almost entirely green, or with longitudinal 
bands of green and yellow, and the young 
lizards are of a uniform dark brown colour. 
I have no means of ascertaining the scientific 
name of this species, but in size and form 
they very much resemble the common 
Lacerta agilis of our own country. 
As we were walking slowly along in search 
of our game, I perceived upon the wall a 
very ugly animal, evidently of the lizard 
genus, but much larger than any we had 
before seen, and of a grey colour, so like the 
stone, that at a short distance it was difficult 
to distinguish it from it. Of course I lost 
no time in preparing to give him a shot, and 
had drawn in a good supply of breath for 
the purpose, when he took offence at the 
motion of raising the blow-pipe to my mouth, 
and whisked sideways into his hole with the 
speed of lightning. But we waited patiently 
