The life-history of British lizards : and their local distribution in the British Isles . so, possibly the artificial hibernation isnot satisfactory. It soon becomes accustomed to itsowner and free from all fear. Food.—As usual insects of one kind or anotherare largely partaken of. Butterflies are said to bea favourite diet. Worms also, and, according toDr. Gadow, snails, are eaten. In a specimen theauthor has from Gironde, the stomach was nearlyfull of a species of black beetle. The lizard itselfwas from the gullet of a smooth snake, so that thesnake, the lizard, and the beetles, formed a str
The life-history of British lizards : and their local distribution in the British Isles . so, possibly the artificial hibernation isnot satisfactory. It soon becomes accustomed to itsowner and free from all fear. Food.—As usual insects of one kind or anotherare largely partaken of. Butterflies are said to bea favourite diet. Worms also, and, according toDr. Gadow, snails, are eaten. In a specimen theauthor has from Gironde, the stomach was nearlyfull of a species of black beetle. The lizard itselfwas from the gullet of a smooth snake, so that thesnake, the lizard, and the beetles, formed a strikingobject-lesson on the struggle for existence in the beetles contained in the way of food was notascertained. Reproduction.—After the green lizards emerge fromthe winter hibernation, the males fight amongst them-selves a good deal previous to pairing with the females,which takes place in the spring months. After fer-tilisation, the eggs are partially developed in thefemale oviducts, where they are carried for fourweeks. They are then deposited in situations suitable. GREEN LIZARD : VENTRAL SURFACE. \Faclngp. 74. THE GREEN LIZARD, LACERTA VIRIDIS 75 for further development with the aid of warmth, andthe young are hatched out in another four weeks, sothat the whole period of gestation is eight young, or at any rate the eggs deposited, areusually from eight to ten in number. They haveyellow lateral lines, which, as we saw, persist in someof the females in adult life. With regard to thequestion of the mother exercising any watch over theeggs, or giving any other sign of interest. Miss Hopleysays: Mr. Jenner Weir told me of one (a greenlizard, that is) in his possession, who displayed notonly vigilance and care for her eggs, but considerablewiliness in secreting them. The spot where she hadlaid them being discovered, she being there, hastilyretreated, but presently returned and scratched thepeat over them till hidden by a little mound; thencontinued day
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubject, booksubjectreptiles
