Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1886-02-25

PiDNeCcu AT VIII bl the eNpe-lmenttr.
WONDERFUL LIZAED
''Stir mp that mass Of leaves," said my
friend. a we passed q heap, the droppings
from barge live-oak. We had left the
brook, that in the higher level was full. and
we're ncH fcl!cv:ng the narrow trail. In
serting rny gun barrel under the pile out
ran 8 black HzaTi about six inches in
length She hunter quickly stepped IN
front Of il, when the little creature, seeing
that il was surrounded stopped, raised itself
high Oh H. short legs and bowed its head
severa! timrs. turning its eyes inquisitively
npon Us.
Il thought | saw one run under the
leaves said my companion, land want TO
show YOU another instance OF peculiar
method &C protection. This lizard i black
bec.Cse il lives upon rocks, dark ones, in
gloomy place., hut down in the valley you
will find the same lizard on sunny roads
very much lighter in huc-in fact. il also
changes lis colors. But this IS nothing 10
what | hope Ia show you. This fellow Is "A
tail-;,=srr: in other words, be- can instantly,
L. i"'k # hi, brGy, whi>k of as much Of
hi 'lii as occasion rnguircs You can
easily -ee what protection this is. An
enemy il chase Seizcs the lizard by the tail,
and thc member j. thrown Of and, while
the follower Is engaged in devouring It,
the animal is II is Of This is quite re-
markn5lc, but ,Erl" i more. the lizard
can throw oil its tail 1t will 10 distract the
attention Of the pursutr. Now. will make
the attack, and you watch The tail while
catch the boy part
Tn. Iilari-huntcr tiIcn began series of
InOI cucHtl with the switch that made the
l,ttlc animal, that was row putting out its
throat IN anger or fear and showing a vivid
! mctalic blue patch upon Inc side, dart
about in an undecided way, looking vainly
for Il loophole Of cscapc. Finally, when
the lizard was fully aroused, the switch
was brought down jast behind it with ex-
IRENE violence. \ whisk ofthe black body,
a CLEAN Of metallic blue, and the lizard was
gone, the hunter Gttcr il, While stood with
eyes rivilcd cn what Tor a moment | con.
sidercd worm that had escaped from the
mouth ii the reptile. Ii was the tail, how
ever, leaping up and down upon the leaves,
! twisting and comforting itself in variety
If positions and looking exactly like a
worm that had been disturbed and was
trying 10 -how lis di>plrasure. For fully
and writhed and then gradually lost its
! seeming life. Ia the meantime the lizard
had been captured and il was found that
/ the tail had been tossed or cast almost At
its base OF where it joined the animal.
THE MEANS or PROTECTION.
You see the idea said the hunter.
The lizard thought that he was about TO
be captured and that harsh methods were
necessary. 80 in an instant lie decided TO
part with his tail. hoping in this way TO dis
| tract orr attention from the body part,
which would run off, The tail Is jerked
of or tossed by quick side motion of the
body, and the moment il is severed the ami
nal darts away as rapidly and naturally
| the pursuer stops tO examine the leaping
tail, that 10 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. continued
the speaker, holding NJ the tail You see
how much smaller part of the tail is than
the rest. The scales are more delicate and
it hes blush caste quite different nom the
rest. That means that the lizard has been
through this operation before and this tail
that it has just cast had not really attained
its full growth"
Then they reproduce them:" Iasked.
Certainly, or else what would be the
henetit: The tail and all the bones grow
again and will an indefinite number Of
times The only drawback is that il takes
time. perhaps three months or more in the
summer. 70 attain lis growth. Sometimes
two tails are reproduced instead of one, but
this Is only in rare cases. In Asia some Of
the geckos are tail tossers and a gecko has
been seen T. throw off ia tail and then as
If deceived itself. seize and swallow it."
The CANYONS Were the paradise billiards,
"nd a.. We walk along they were dragged
from sheir scclusion beneath stones, moss
and bark. and in a shor; time the tin can
was provided With an Ghunian; sunrly.
Sono were green, long and suake.ll like.
/ with iaTkcA tongues Gnd wicked eres,
"iEt?S wtle A:acA, with white stripes. while
Others again "c.o rosp!endon. with various
metallic hues. Piles II stones, that the sun
had not reached, o.ldR concealed number
tia; were stiff and dormant aad refused 70
move Unit! the sun had warmed than into
life Though saow rarely al!s In these
mountain recesses nIass animals hibernate,
especially rattlesnakes and many large
lizards, all re;reating 70 holes and no, ap-
pearing uati! the intense heat warns them
into life again.
Here is another case OF protection" said
the naturalist, pointing to large leaf tha,
came huitering down from a high tree. Il
had the peculiar waveriag fligh, that falling
leaves have and passed some ten fee, or 50
above our heads. where /; lodged in bush.
You thought il was leaf" ne continued.
but, You see. il is an insect" and he Sc.
cured the supposed leaf and held up q Gu.
rious katydid for inspection.
The insect was almost exact in its MIN.
i'Fy' the wings being a rich green and
h.