Their eyes sparkled; their forked tongues shot forth, glittering in the sun; and their heads at intervals rose and fell, in a manoeuvring manner, like a pair of pugilists "coming to the scratch!" After a short while they sprang at each other open-jawed; wriggled over the ground a moment--their tails flying in the air--then separated, and again assumed their defiant attitudes, manoeuvring as before.

In this manner they met and parted several times, neither seeming to have gained much advantage.
The weakest part of the green lizard lies in his tail.

So tender is this appendage that the slightest blow of a small switch will separate it from the body.

The skink seemed to be aware of this fact, as he several times endeavoured to get around his antagonist, or, in military phraseology, to "turn" him.

It was evidently his intention to attack the tail.