Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1886-03-19
HOW 1T Is DONR.

hunter, "that it would adapt itself to
changes of color equally we'll. How is
it done? Well, there are different opin-
ions. The method is found in large va
riety of animals, especially lizards,
though fishes have it to q certain ex-
tent. The skin of animals contains pig
ment and the cells are more or less I'M
der the control of the nerves. I'm
der certain conditions some cells eK-
pand, while those containing pigment
of another color contract, and thus If
pigment cells are arranged in the skin
in layers you can easily see how GER
tain changes take place. You must bear
in mind, however, that these changes
are intuitive on the part of the animal;
il cannot help it. 1t does not deliber-
ately hop on TO a white stone when
black, and comfort itself in any way TO
produce change, yet the eye is really
the medium, and the secret is, accord
ing To my ideas-and they are not mine
exclusively-that the cells are extreme
ly sensitive TO variations Of COLOR
Thus when the toad leaps from black
surface to a white the change is observ-
ed by the eye, transmitted TO the brain,
and by the sensitive erves to the cells.
producing the change. Our common
anolis will assume almost any tint OF
! green or brown and a variety of other
shades. That the eye is the medium OF
change is very easily shown and has
been demonstrated by experiment. Ii
you should destroy the eye of this toad
it would leap from rock TO rock without
any perceptible change, and the exper-
! iment has been tried OH fish by sever
ing the sensitive nerves, by which
stripes or spots were produced at will by
the experimenter.
WONDERFUL LIZARD.
"Stir up that mass Of leaves" said
my friend, as we passed heap, the
droppings from a large live-oak. We
had left the brook, that in the higher
! level was full, and were now following
the narrow trail. Inserting my gun
barrel under the pile out ran black
| lizard about six inches In length. The
hunter quickly stepped in front of it,
when the little creature, seeing that it
was surrounded stopped, raised itself
high on its short legs and bowed its
head several times, turning its eyes in
quisitively upon us.
~ thought | saw one run under the
leaves" said my companion, ''and /
want to show you another instance of
peculiar method Of protection. The
| lizard is black because it lives upon
rocks, dark ones, in gloomy places, but
down in the valley you will find the
same lizard on sunny roads very much
lighter in hue-in fact, 1t also changes
its colors. But this is nothing to what
/ hope to show you. This fellow is
tail-tosser; in other words, he can i'll
stantly, by jerk of his body, whisk off
as much OF his tail as occasion requires.
You can easily see what protection
this is. An enemy in chase seizes the
lizard by the tail, and the member is
thrown off, and, while the follower is
engaged in devouring it, the animal it.
self is Off. This is quite remarkable,
but there is more The lizard can throw
off its tail at will to distract the atten-
ton of the pursuer. Now, | will make
the attack, and yop watch the tail while
catch the body part
The lizard-hunter then began series
of movements with the switch that made
the little animal, that was now putting
out its throat in anger or fear and show
ing vivid metallic blue patch upon
the side, dart about in an undecided
way, looking vainly for loophole of
escape. Finally, when the lizard was
fully aroused, the switch was brought
down Just behind it with extreme vio-
lence. A whisk Of the black body, q
CLEAN of metallic blue, and the lizard
was gone, the hunter after il. while /
stood with eyes riveted on what tor the
moment | considered a worm that had
escaped from the mouth OF the
reptile. 1t was the tail. how ever, leap
ing up and down upon the leaves, twist
ing and comforting itself in variety
of positions and looking exactly like a
worm that had been disturbed and was
trying to show its displeasure. For
fully two minntes this rejected member
twisted and writhed and then gradually
lost It's seeming life. In the meantime
the lizard had been captured and Ii Wa
found that the tail had been tossed or
cast almost at its base or where 10 Joined
the animal.
THE MEANS OF PROTECTION.
You see the idea," said the hunter.
1.-THE lizard thought that he was about
to be captured and that harsh methods
were necessary, so in an instant he de-
cided to part with his tail, hoping in
this way 10 distract our attention from
the body part, which would run of.
The tail is jerked off or tossed by aquick
side motion of the body, and the mo-
ment it is severed the animal darts
away as rapidly and naturally the pur-
suer stops to examine the leaping TAIL,
that to bird might seem a worm and
with any animal would arouse curiosity
enough to delay it long enough for the
lizard to escape.
"This fellow has had hard luck" con-
tinued the speaker, holding up tall.
"You see how much smaller a part Of
the tail is than the rest. The scales are
more delicate and il has blush cast
ou;ta diHarant from tho rest That