A short note on the wall lizard

I saw a lizard on Monday, by my backdoor, in the pile of mouldering leaves which I’ve left untouched because the young frogs and toads seem to like it so much. I lifted up a log to see how these creatures were getting on, in the manner of a benevolent deity, and a tiny lizard scampered away for cover. It was a Common Lizard, I think; too small and right-wing looking to be a Sand Lizard.

Later in the day I read up a bit more about lizards in the Guardian’s “Specieswatch” column, which I always enjoy because it is usually free of the bien pensant whining which afflicts most of the rest of the paper. Usually, but not on this occasion. The article was about the European Wall Lizard (podarcis muralis, since you asked), and the colonies of these creatures which have, through the hand of man, established themselves in Britain, to which country they are not indigenous. The writer was Paul Brown, who wrote: “…..so far 46 colonies have been recorded in Britain, as far north as Sheffield, although the majority are in the south, particularly along the cliffs of Dorset and at Ventnor on the Isle of Wight….”

All good so far; I remember seeing a wall lizard when I was on holiday in Bournemouth in June 1967.

Mr Brown continues: “Clearly the climate has become warm enough for the species to survive and thrive here, although it is thought that all the colonies are originally from lizards introduced deliberately as far back as the Victorian period or are escapees from collectors.”

Those are my italics. If you read that sentence back it makes no sense. The first part and the second part contradict each other.