Matthew Durkin wrote:
:: I wouldn't advise trying to catch one. I cornered one in Greece as
:: a child, and was somewhat horrified to find it dispensing with its
:: tail (in the grip of my hand). They wriggle quite a while after
:: the lizard is gone.

As a keeper of reptiles, I know a little bit about this...The wriggling of
the shodden tail is to fool predators, they will often shed it when being
pursued, giving the predator a moving object to attack while they make their
escape.

:: They apparently grow a new tail. Quite amazing.
::
:: I live just north of london. never seen a scorpion, lizard or
:: snake in the UK. Probably for the better... :O)

Parts of Wales have a good pupulation of snakes, I saw one there as a child,
about 4 foot long and a sandy beige colour, this is the only wild snake I've
ever seen in the UK...they are, like my own snakes, very shy of people and
just want to hide all the time.