Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-01-16

PECULIARITIES OF LIZARDS.
Initiating Leaves and Breaking i'm Twd
when Pursued A Lizard nearly
Seven Feet Long.

veg ''NiN NiHDii5 NV iN'N 20 "iii it'N-
crs, mimicking them in color, while
others that live among the rocks have
dull colors, equally protective. The
most remarkable case of protective re,
semblance, however, is seen in lizard
called the leaf.tailed Gccko. The body
which is about six inches long, is cov'
cred with rough prOtuberances, while
the tail is arr0w-shaped and exact in
its resemblance to a leaf. It's eyes have
stony glare, that is supposed by the
natives to lie fatal at times. The leaf
like tail is nearly as large as the body.
When alarmed you will see the gecko
dart around the limb upon which it
has been resting, and, instead Of con-
cealing, raise its tail aloft, its body be.
ing hidden, of course by the limb. In
this position the imitation of a grow
ing leaf upon the branch is perfect;
andif the movement of the animal in
slipping around the limb has not been
noticed, its escape is certain, even ex.
perts being deceived by it.
"This lizard has another protection
still more remarkable. a friend OF
mine told me he was once lying among
some rocks at midday resting after a
mornings shoot, when his attention
was attracted by small bird, evident
ly falcon, following something along
toward him among the rocks. lie re-
mained perfectly quiet, and the bird
approached, rising and falling, until
suddenly geclio darted into the clear
place before him, and like a flash the
falcon darted at it, But at the same
instant the lizard seemed to change in
TO two, one remaining and dancing up
and down, While the other darted off
among the rocks, and disappeared. The
bird seemed utterly confused, gazing
first one way and then the other, and
finally flew away, My friend then Sc
cured the remaining gecko, which
turned out to be merely the leaf-like
tail. The animal finding itself closely
pressed, had thrown off its tail, which
Jumped and danced up and down, at
tracing the enemys attention, while
the lizard itself escaped. a number
of lizards possess the same power
suppose suggested the reporter.
"that they get in the same fix again,
how about that tail them"
"a new tail grows after a while
was the reply, and curiously enough
if the breaking off is not exact, some
times two tails appear to take the place
oC one. If you examine the tail OF the
lizard you will see that the muscles of
Ihe several vertebral segments are so
loosely connected and the axis of the
yertebrH is SO weak that the tail will
break upon the slightest movement,
50 that by vigorous twist they can
throw it off.
"There are over sixty different vari-
3ties of geckos, and all of them are
noted for some peculiarly, Most Of
hem have their feet supplied with pads
Or sucking dishes, so that they are able
70 run up walls like flies. One species
las the power to throw out 4 brilliant
DhosphOrescent light, and as it is noe
.urnal in its habits, it is aregular torch
bearer. 10 see four OF five darting
tbout the walls Of a dark room, their
lncanny forms outlined in fire. is a Gu
rious spectacle to say the least. One
sept hy a gentleman in Bombay, gave
out light enough at times to read by.
They are also Worn by native Indian
women as head dresses
"The lizards that live about the
water" continued the naturalist, care
he largest and most powerful. Only
one truly marine lizard is known, the
Omblyrhynchus 1t is found in the
Galapagos Islands. They are seen there
n droyes swimming out to sea, and
feeding on the beds of seaweod They
an remain under water without harm
for an hour.
"ln the Nile country there is mon
tor lizard that attainS length of near
y seven feet, and is proportionately
powerful. According to De Latour,
careful observer, they are flesh eaters,
going together in bands and attacking
large animals. One has been seen to
swim out and attack deer, pulling it
under water and killing it, The one
known as the waran is pictured on
many of the ancient worked slabs of
Egypt. 1t is said to deyour the eggs of
the crocodile. Though these lizards
ire extremely powerful it remains for
America to produce the only poisonous
one-heloderma- of theWest and South.
Its teeth are provided with grooves for
the poison to pass from the gland. To
human beings its bite is not fatal if
help is at hand but chicken bitten by
one died in five minutes, and one of the
attendants in the Smithsonian lnstitu-
ton once allowed himself to be bitten
by heloderma and was barely able to
call for assistance In the South per-
haps their bite is fatal.
----~.,sss--
How lie Proved 1t.
A convict at French penal settle
ment, who was undergoing a life sem
tence, desired to marry female con-
Wet, such marriages being a common
occurrence. The governor of the col