M. Pagés says that, near one of the rivers in America, where the Alligators were very numerous, the effluvia was so strong as to impregnate his provisions, and even to give them the nauseous taste of rotten musk*.

The teeth are as white as ivory; and snuff-boxes, charges for guns, and several kinds of toys, are made with them. Those persons who have eaten of their flesh, say that it is white and very delicious; many of the American tribes are in a great measure supported by it.

THE COMMON GUANAT.

This is an animal that frequently occurs in America, and both the West and East Indies, where it grows to four or five feet in length. The tail is long and round; the back serrated; and the crest denticulated. The individuals vary greatly in colour, but their prevailing tinge is a brownish green. Under the chin they have a pouch capable of great inflation.

The Guana inhabits the rocks, and hides itself in cliffs or hollow trees. Its food is almost entirely confined to vegetables and insects, which it swallows whole; and the fat of the abdomen assumes the colour of whatever the animal has last eaten. Its appearance is disgusting, and its motions very

* Pagés, i. 48.

+SYNONYMS.-Lacerta iguana. Linn.-L'Iguane. La Cepede.Leguana. Seba.-Great American Guana. Common Guana. Shaw. -Shaw's Gen. Zool. vol. iii. tab. 61.

slow; "their holes," says Catesby, "being a greater security than their heels." Though not naturally amphibious, it will on necessity continue long under water; in swimming, it keeps its legs close pressed to its body, and urges itself forward by means of the tail.

The females usually quit the woods or mountains about two months after the end of winter, for the purpose of depositing their eggs in the sand of the sea-shore. These eggs are always unequal in number, from thirteen to twenty-five. They are longer, but not thicker, than pigeons' eggs. The outer covering is white and flexible. Most travellers say that these eggs give an excellent relish to sauces, and that their taste is preferable to that of poultry eggs*.

The flesh of the animals constitutes a principal support of the natives of the Bahamas, who go out in their sloops to other islands to take them, which they do by means of dogs trained for the purpose. As soon as caught, their mouths are sewed up, to prevent them from biting, and some are carried alive from hence to Carolina for sale; others are salted and barrelled for home consumption.

Father Labat speaks highly of their delicacy and fine flavour, and describes the mode in which he, and some others that were along with him, saw one of them taken. "We were attended (he says) by a negro who carried a long rod, at one end of

*La Cepede, i. 341.

Catesby, ii. 64.

which was fastened a piece of whipcord, with a running knot. After beating the bushes for some time, the negro discovered our game, basking in the sun, on the dry limb of a tree. On this he began whistling with all his might; to which the Guana was wonderfully attentive, stretching out his neck, and turning his head as if to enjoy it more fully. The negro now approached, still whistling; and, advancing his rod gently, began tickling with the end of it the sides and throat of the Guana, which seemed mightily pleased with the operation; for he turned on his back, and stretched himself out like a cat before the fire, and at length fairly fell asleep. The negro, perceiving this, dexterously slipped the noose over his head, and with a jerk brought him to the ground."

The flesh is sometimes roasted, but more usually boiled, the fat being first taken out, which the natives melt and clarify.

The Guana is an animal easily tamed if taken young. Dr. Browne kept a full-grown one about his house for more than two months. At first it was very fierce and ill-natured; but after some days it grew more tame, and would at length pass the greatest part of the day on the bed or couch: but it always went out at night. As it walked along it frequently threw out its forked tongue; but Dr Browne says that, during all the time he had it, he never observed that it ate any thing*.

* Browne's Jamaica, 462.

THE NIMBLE LIZARD*.

The Nimble Lizard is one of the British species. Its general length, from the nose to the end of the tail, is about six inches and a half. The upper

part of the head is light brown, and the back and tail are variously striped and spotted with light brown, black, white, and dark brown. The under parts of the body are of a dirty white.

This elegant little creature, which is known to almost every one in the temperate regions of Europe, seems to be the most gentle and inoffensive, and at the same time the most useful, of all the Lizard tribe. Its motions are so nimble, and it runs with such swiftness, as, when disturbed, to disappear in a moment. It is fond of basking in the sun; yet, unable to bear excessive heat, in the hottest weather it seeks shelter. In spring, during fine weather, it is often seen luxuriously extended on a sloping green bank, or on a wall exposed to the sun. In these situations, it enjoys the full effects of the reviving heat; expressing its delight by gently agitating its slender tail; and its lively and brilliant eyes are animated with pleasure. Should any of the minute animals appear on which it feeds, it springs upon them with the quickness of thought; and if any danger occurs, it

* SYNONYMS.-Lacerta agilis. Linn.-Le Lezard gris. La Cepede.-Little brown Lizard. Edwards.-Scaly Lizard. Penn.Nimble Lizard. Kerr's La Cepede.-Penn's Brit. Zeol. vol. iii. tab. 2.

seeks a more secure retreat with equal rapidity. On the least noise it turns suddenly round, falls down, and seems, for some moments, perfectly stupefied by its fall: or else it suddenly shoots away among the bushes or thick grass, and disappears. Its wonderful rapidity of motion is chiefly to be observed in warm countries, for in the temperate regions its evolutions are much more languid.

This gentle and peaceful animal excites no sensations of terror; and, when taken into the hand, makes not the smallest attempt to bite or offend. In some countries children use it as a play-thing; and, in consequence of its natural gentleness of disposition, it becomes, in a great measure, tame and familiar.

The tail is nearly twice the length of the body, and tapers from the root to the extremity, where it ends in a sharp point. This, from the weakness of the vertebræ, is so brittle as often to snap off on the least roughness in handling. In this case it is sometimes reproduced. When the tail has been split or divided lengthways, it has been known that each of the portions, in healing, has rounded itself, and thus the animal has had a double tail. One of these has contained the vertebræ, and the other only a kind of tendon in the centre.

For the purpose of seizing the insects on which it feeds, this Lizard darts out,

with astonishing

velocity, its large forked tongue. This is of a reddish colour, and beset with asperities that are scarcely sensible to the sight, but which assist very materially in catching its winged prey.-Like most