Guernsey, where the Green Lizard is found; but the latter is far the most abundant.

The VIVIPAROUS LIZARD, (Zootoca vivipara,) forms the type of the sub-genus Zootoca, characterized by the palate being toothless. It is a pretty, active little crea ture, frequenting dry, sunny banks, thickets, and copses We have found it in the greatest abundance at Southend, Essex, in the wooded pleasure grounds which decline to the Thames; in Cheshire, it is very common, and, in deed, in most of our counties. It is found in Ireland, as is, also, the Sand Lizard.

We are,

Mr. Bell remarks, that "on the continent, its range does not appear to be extensive; it is not found in Italy, nor, I believe, in France; and is very probably confined. in a great measure, to our own latitude." however, assured by M. Bibron, that it exists both in France and Italy; and that it inhabits Germany, Switzerland, and Russia, as well as the British islands. "The Viviparous Lizard," he adds, " rarely lives anywhere else than on the mountains. M. Tschudi informs us, that in Switzerland, it frequents, in preference, the forests of dry pines, making its runs under the fallen leaves; and to these it retreats on the appearance of danger. Sometimes, however, it is met with in damp and humid forests. In this country (France) it is not so common as the Sand Lizard, while in England it is the contrary."

This Lizard seldom exceeds five or six inches in length, and is very gentle and harmless. Its movements are singularly rapid and sudden; and it darts on its insect prey with the velocity of an arrow. Its sight 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 yards of us, and chasing their prey: we could not but admire their light and graceful actions, and for a considerable 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 the utility of these little creatures in gardens and greenhouses, insects and larvæ being their subsistence. This species has been confounded with the Sand Lizard (L. agilis) by most writers; from which, it need not be stated, it is very distinct. It is not only smaller, but more slender in its contour, with a narrower head, and sharper muzzle.

In one remarkable point the present little species differs from the preceding, namely, in the production of living young; the eggs being hatched before exclusion, and not deposited in the sand hence the term applied to it, 'viviparous." "As in all the ovo-viviparous Reptiles," observes Mr. Bell," the covering of the egg is very thin, and merely membranous; in the viper, which produces its young alive, the covering, as in the present animal, is extremely thin, and very easily torn." "Although I have alluded," he adds, "to the sun's influence, as being the means of hastening the evolution of the embryo, in the eggs of oviparous Reptiles, it is not to be concluded, that the same source of warmth is unnecessary in the present and similar instances. The only difference is, that in the ovo-viviparous species, the solar heat is communicated to the embryo, through the medium of the mother; and hence, we often see the pregnant female, about the month of June, constantly basking in the sun, and lying in such a position, as to expose the body most fully to his influence. Every one

who has watched the habits of our native Reptiles, must have seen the same circumstance in the female of the common viper; and may have observed how much more reluctantly and tardily she leaves the genial spot, than the male."

The ordinary number of young, which this Lizard produces, is four, or five; these are often seen in company with her, and are, probably, for some time under her immediate guidance; they are, however, capable of obtaining their own food, and are lively and alert.

This species varies considerably in markings and general colour. Mostly, however, the upper parts are of a greenish, or olive brown, with a dark brown, interrupted line down the middle of the back, and a similar one on each side; between these and the middle line, or series of dashes, are rows of black dots. The under parts, in the male, are of a fine orange, spotted with black; in the female, pale grey, with a tinge of green, and without spots.

A species of Lizard, the GREY WALL LIZARD, (L. muralis,) differing from the last two, is very common over the greater portion of continental Europe and western Asia, but is not found in the British islands.

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Every one," says M. Latreille, "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 desirable, 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. When, 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 tail. 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 of even a leaf, it rolls itself up, tumbles down, and remains for a little time, as if stunned; or, it darts off, is agitated, returns, again conceals itself, re-appears, 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." Insects of various kinds constitute its food.

Its eggs are nearly round. It is subject to several variations of colouring; but the general tint is olive grey, with variously arranged markings.

Several other genera, distinguished by slight characters from Lacerta, belong to the present group; but little, respecting the habits of the species they respectively contain, is known.

VII. FAMILY, CHALCIDES.

We have already noticed the gradual transition which takes place between distant orders, uniting them together in so gentle and easy a manner, that it is difficult to demonstrate a line of clear and definite separation between them. This and the next family conduct us, through a different series of forms, each to the snakes, or Ophidia; and Mr. Gray, on this account, has regarded these two families as constituting an intermediate order, between the Saurian Reptiles on the one hand, and the Ophidia on the other; and has termed them Saurophidia, or Lizard-snakes. To the present family, for example, belong, according to M. Dumeril, the genera Amphisbæna, Leptosternon, Trogonophis, and Ophiosaurus, classed by Cuvier with the snakes; and which, indeed, they resemble in wanting limbs, approaching them, also,

in other structural points. But it must be observed, that we are led to these genera through the genus Chirotes, in which there is only an anterior pair of small limbs; and the genus Pseudopus, in which there are no anterior limbs, the posterior being merely two scaly and small appendages, and the body having a snake-like elongation. The latter are immediately allied to other genera, having both anterior and posterior limbs.

The animals of the present family have the body cylindrical, extremely elongated, and serpent-like; the limbs are never greatly developed, and are sometimes wanting; the trunk blends with the head and tail, without a distinct line of division, and is covered with scales, disposed in circles, or is marked with circular depressions, or rings; in general, a fold of skin, or a furrow, runs down each side; the head is tessellated with plates; the teeth are not implanted in the bones of the jaws, but affixed to their internal edge; the tongue is free, but not very extensible; it is broad, and covered with papillæ, and is notched at its front.

M. Dumeril divides the family of Chalcidians, into two sections: one (Ptychopleura) distinguished by a lateral fold of skin; the other (Glyptoderma) by the square, or card-like divisions, in regular order, observable over the whole extent of the skin, which is not protected by scales, but which is ringed, or marked with circles, and by the eyes being destitute of eyelids. To these nice distinctions we shall not here attend: it is sufficient merely to point them out.

With respect to the habits of these Reptiles, little seems to be ascertained; generally speaking, they are natives of hot climates, and desert situations; and hence, travellers who have collected them, and transmitted them to Europe, have had but few favourable opportunities of studying them in their native localities.

To a certain extent, however, their forms denote their modes of life. Their rounded and almost cylindrical contour, the head being not separated by a true neck