Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-05-20
TALK ABOUT REPTILES.
How Some Foretell the Weather-Pecu-
Iiarities of the Chameleon.

TALK ABOUT REPTILES.
How Some ForetelI the weather-Pecu-
Iiarities of the Chameleon.
Yesterday, before the Parker Memo
rial science class, Mr.. Samuel Garman
talked about "Reptiles and Batrach-
ians." He brought to the classroom
variety of specimens, and very cour-
teously answered multitude of ques-
tons, thereby destroying some of the
popular opinions concerning the ami
mails of which he has made special
study. He first referred to the table
which he had placed on the blackboard,
and said that in the Devonian period
fishes appeared. Some say they APP
peared in the Silurian. The ancestors
of the present batrachians-toa frogs,
and salamanders-a appeared in the sub
carboniferous time, while the crocodile
appeared in the Triassic and the turtle
in the Jurassic. In the Permian lizards
appeared, and were numerous in the
Triassic. Two birds, supposed to be
ancestors of the birds proper, appeared
in the Cretaceous. The land turtle was
selected from among the specimens,
and slight explanation of its structure
was given. 1t is lung-breathing ami
NAL, and undergoes no transformation.
The sea-turtle's toes are united in the
form of a paddle. 1t makes long voy-
ages, sometimes crossing the Atlantic.
The sea turtles are immense, some of
them attain weight of 1900 pounds.
They Craze on the grasses at the bottom
of the sea.
Crocodiles arc represented by alliga-
tors. Their tails are used for SWIM
ming, and their legs aid in lifting them
out of the mud. They build nests of
leaves and vegetation before it has be-
gun to decay layer of eggs, layer
of vegetation. The heat of the vegeta-
ton matches the eggs. The crocodile
differs from the alligator by having no
long separation between the nostrils.
1t has valve in the throat for keeping
out water. The crocodiles of the Nile
and the Ganges are most dangerous.
Alligators are called cold blooded, be-
cause of their inability to develop much
heat in their bodies.
Lizards are very nearly the shape of
crocodiles, and are covered with skin
which has semblance of scales, not
like the scales of fish. A specimen of
the house lizard was shown. This liz
ard is found in Asia, Africa, South
America, and in other countries, but not
| in the United States. 1t is useful in
destroying vermin. and can easily climb
| walls. 1t lays its eggs under rafterS,
in the thatches, and under leaves. 1t is
a mistake to think of scorpions as very
poisonous; they are a little venomous.
Bird spiders are somewhat venomous.
| Large toads, which have been called
| poisonous, have no venom. Among the
| lizards there is only one, Mexican,
| which is venomous, and there is some
doubt of him. Most of these animals,
when irritated, excrete a venomous
saliva, and even frogs will attempt to
bite when troubled. Toads can tell the
weather better than the weather bureau.
| When it is dry they go down into the
ground for moisture; in damp weather
| they come out of the ground. Lizards
stow themselves away when the sun
goes under u cloud, and ut such times
turtles will hide.
A real chameleon was next exhibited.
The tail of this animal is prehensile; the
toes are divided into groups-two on
one side, three on the other side of his
leg. He is able to take on every color
on which he aiights. The pigment I'M
| derncath the skin enables him to make
the changes, which are made by the cx-
pansion of the lungs, or by rays of the
sun striking him, or other causes. Fear
will spot him all over. A flying lizard
was shown. 1t had ribs extending out,
covered with membrane, and forms
a parachute (not like the winged lizard,
| which has become extinct). This floats
| in the air. The little Florida lizard or
scorpion Incorrectly called chameleon
was exhibited. Some lizards are bipeds.
The animal commonly called the glass
snake is really lizard. Its jaws are
| tied together, SO it can not expand them.
| The tail is fragile, and may be broken
UP to the body; then another tail grows.
A specimen which had new tail. was
| shown.
Snakes are divided into four groups
worm-snakes, non-venomous, poisonous.
and clawed snakes. Then there is a
subdivision-those living on the ground
those that climb trees. and those that
live in the water ] he real sea-serpent
is extinct. A rattlesnake was shown
and its characteristics dwelt upon. The
rattlesnake sounds his rattle as warn
ing of his approach, but will not attack
unless driven by fear to protect himself
He usually coils himself and strikes, but
he sometimes stxikes four or five times
in succession without coiling. After a
few strokes the venom is exhausted, and
the snake has to wait for two or three
hours for a fresh supply. Snakes are
timid, and not aggressive. The cobra
is said to be aggressive, and is the most
deadly of all An action of the lymph
atics in case of poisoning is all-im-
portant Venom has no effect upon the
digestive organs. but works in the blood.
Mr.. Garman said if he were bitten on
the finger, and had no sore in his mouth
or on his lips, he would suck out the
poison, rapidly splitting out the saliva,
not swallowing any; tie string tightly
at the base of the finger, another at the
wrist, and another on the arm below
the elbow, and possibly one above the
elbow. He thought he would cauterize
the wound. He recommended freely
bathing the wound and drinking few
drops of ammonia in water.
Before ending his talk he showed
salamander, and said they don't stand
fire at all.-BoSton Transcript.