ern part of France; in England, however, it seems to be rare, and
has been detected only in Dorsetshire--chiefly near Poole, or in some
other southern counties. It frequents sandy heaths, and is of a brown
sandy color, marked and dotted; but there is a green variety said to be
found among the verdure of marshy places. It is larger than our common
lizard, averaging seven inches long, is very timid, and when made a
prisoner pines and dies. Its female lays eggs, like a turtle, in the
sand, covers them over, and leaves them to be hatched by the summer sun.
This kind of lizard, therefore, is oviparous. The eggs of our common
lizard are hatched also by the sun; for, reptiles having no heat of
their own, can not provide that which is necessary to the development of
an embryo; but in this case the sun hatches them within the parent's
body. The female of this lizard stretches herself out upon a sunny bank,
and lets the bright rays fall upon her body while she lies inactive. At
this period, she will not move for any thing less than a real cause of
alarm. She is not sunning herself lazily, however, but fulfilling an
ordinance of God. The eggs break as the young lizards--three to six--are
born. This lizard is, therefore, ovo-viviparous. The little ones begin
at once to run about, and soon dart after insects, their proper food;
but they accompany the mother with some instinct of affection for a
little time. These lizards are very various in size and color;
difference in these respects does not denote difference in kind. The
little scales which cover them are arranged in a peculiar manner on the
head, under the neck, &c.; and some differences of arrangement, in such
respects, are characteristic. The best distinction between the only two
species of lizard known in this country has been pointed out by Mr.
Bell. In the hind legs, under each thigh, there is a row of openings,
each opening upon a single scale. In sand lizards, the opening is
obviously smaller than the scale; in our common lizards, the opening is
so comparatively large that the scale seems to be the mere edge of a
tube around it.

These are our lizards, then, our Saurian reptiles; and they do not merit
any hate. Suffer an introduction now to English Snakes.

The first snake, the Blindworm, is not a snake, nor yet a worm. It is a
half-way animal--between a lizard and a snake. The lizards shade off so
insensibly into the snakes, even the boa preserving rudimentary hind
legs