Song of the Lizard

Abstract

ANY one who has been in the South of Europe in the summer may have often heard a peculiar sound in the fields or amongst low herbage. The sound is like wheet-t'wheet repeated two or three times at short intervals. I have often been puzzled as to what animal it proceeded from, and should have supposed it to be some orthopterous insect, but that on getting to exactly where the sound had come from, it would again be heard at a distance of some five or six yards without having been seen. Last June, near Ajaccio, I believed I solved the puzzle. After the wheet-t'wheet a small lizard darted across some unusually bare ground, and, once again under cover; recommenced its song. Our great authority, Dr. Günther, is not aware of any true lizard having any vocal power (geckoes have a tchet-tchet— not often heard—are generally nocturnal, frequenting houses or old walls, occasionally hiding under stones during the day). Perhaps the ability of some lizards to produce sounds such as I have here described may not be new to some of your readers.