CHAP. 60.—LIZARDS. [1]
It is said, that the lizard, the greatest enemy of all to the
snail, never prolongs its life beyond six months. The lizards
of Arabia are a cubit in length,[2] while those upon Nysa,[3] a
mountain of India, are twenty-four feet long, their colour
being either yellow, purple, or azure blue.
1. This account appears to be principally from Aristotle, Hist Anim.
B. v. c. 29.—B.
2. According to Cuvier, Ajasson, vol. vi. p. 458, and Lemaire, vol. iii.
p. 475, the species of lizard named monitor, frequently exceeds this size;
but he remarks, in reference to the size of the Indian lizard, that none of
the saurians, except the crocodile, attains the length here mentioned.—B.
3. See B. vi. c. 23.