Abstract: Abundance movements and microhabitat use of the common garden lizard Calotes versicolor were studied at the Madras Crocodile Bank over a period of 2 months in 1993.A study of 15 individually colored lizards suggested that there were more males within the study area than females. 37% of the sightings of lizards were between 0900 and 1000 hours. Most of these were adult males. Adult males used arboreal microhabitats more frequently than juveniles; the latter performing the ground. There was a greater incidence of lizards on rough -barked native trees than on smooth-barked exotics. Lizards showed considerable variability in the total area and number of trees on which they were sighted. In general, the lizards seemed to avoid the areas frequented by humans within the study.