LIZARD LIKE A SNAKE

Waipa Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 1574, 15 November 1924, Page 3

LIZARD LIKE A SNAKE

A PRETTY LITTLE ENGLISH

REPTILE

Now is the time of year when the wanderer among the glories of a rather belated spring may find his keen sense of observation arrested by a glimpse of a pretty 'little reptile as it lies basking in the fitful warmth of a sunny bank (writes Major Harding Gox in the Daily Mail). I mean the slow-worm, which is a true lizard; but not being furnished with legs or feet, is burdened with a "snaky" appearance which is apt to cause the little fellow to be regarded with suspicion by such as are not aware of its amiable and harmless nature. Generally this memberless lizard is from 9in to 12in in length, although Sl ome have been recorded which run to 15 in. Its skin is of an olive-brown or olive-green shade, and is composed of very closely set scales. Another name for this reptile is "Blind worm," which is a misnomer, for although the eye is very small it is exceedingly bright and alert. June 'is the time of mating; but mother slow-worm does not produce her family until late August or early September. Unlike most of the lizard tribe, she is viviparous; that is to say, the young—which usually number from a dozen to 18 —are born direct; in .contradistinction to Ithe toviparous lizards, tire progeny of which are produced from eggs.

The baby slow-worms are exceedingly pretty little cicatures, being an opalscent silvery tone above and showing a.dense black stripe on the back; while the under parts are also jet black. At birth they are from 2in to 3in in length. They begin feeding at once, and take heavy toll of the termites and other minute and soft-bodied insects which infest decaying bark and rotting roots; but later on they turn their attention to small slugs, earth worms, and many species of grubs such as are a bane to domesticity and soon become used to gentle handling. If placed 'in a vivarium the foundation of which is sand and light mould with filaments of heather, rough-cast stones and bark, they will bury fthem'selves deeply, and only emerge when it so pleases them.