Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-09-16
readily; and by and by administered ,


few ilies, one at time, which it also
swallowed; and at night it crept under
the turf. Next day, it meekly swal-
lowed more food and drink, similarly
administered, and was so greatly
strengthened as to climb up the side of
the tlower-pot, then standing in the
sunshine. This great 1ower-pot and
its inmate caused me continuous alarm.
When any one was expected in my.
room, it was hidden in all manner of
places;y but when there was no danger
of interruption, it could stand on the
window-ledge, fortunately hidden from
outside view by veranda beneath.
And in this way Iguana lived for many
days, during which it rapidly inn
proved. 1t is not surprising that such
reptiles do not eat in captivity. Their
habit is to pursue insects, and swiftly
too, or to pounce upon one that takes
its fancy; and no half dead fly or
amputated spider thrown into its cage
would excite its natural instincts But
| this queer little animal submitted to
be fed in a ludicrous mannera Without
much difficulty | got its mouth open,
and after sdspiciotisly swallowing the
first mouthful it took the second and
third as passively as baby fed with a
spoon.s In this way it ate four or five
insects day, varied by few drops Of
water or the soft pulp of a grape.
When my visit in Ohio was terminal
ed Iguana was secretly packed in moss
in little fiat. box and put in my bag;
and the huge empty flower-pot was
left outside the window to excite the
wonder of the curious. The friends l
next visited knew nothing of "horned
toads' and their ''venomous spines,
and all the alarms were torestalled by
my saying: II have such a pretty lit.
tie animal up-stairs-a tame lizard
which was given me at b. ''Oh, do
let us see i'll" was the encouraging re-
| ply; and when duly presented in my
palm, whatever natural shrinking the
ladies might have felt was overruled
by the ''queer things" evident harm
lessness and its undeniably pretty coat.
And now it was made happy in a large
bird-cage. with a carpet of turf and
moss, and when placed in the sunshine
was-in unexaggerated language
"wild with delight" My hopes were
to feed and strengthen it for another
week or two, by which time it might
be safely consigned to a box and to
Information. But-and it is sad to end
this little history with 'but'' there
came at the beginning of November
some very warm days, and the sun had
so much power that when the
cage was placed in the window
Phrynosoma must have imagined itself
back in Texas. Only twenty minutes
elapsed. and when | looked again. il
was gone! How it could have squeezed
itself and its long spikes between the
wires, surpasses comprehension; but
gone it was!
Great was the commotion through.
out the house. The square of glass plot
which separated the house from the
| pavement, and the neighbors' front
gardens, and the flights of steps lead.
ing to the street, and all the gratings,
possible and impossible, were hunted
over by the united family, neighbors
included. Pavement, road, and cellars
were carefully searched by my good
natured COUSINS after, of course
every inch of the room itself had beer
well examined. We felt sure that the
sunshine would have enticed it out
wards, and we began to think poor lit
tie Iguana must have fallen victim tC
some dog or cat, when one of the fam
lily, who had been out walking, came
hurrying home exclaiming: "Why
here's your lizard! found it on the
pavement .wa-a-y up the street, witt
itsmouth all bleeding!''
Strange that, in public thorough
fare, it had escaped at all. Several Q
its horns were broken, and its moutl
was wounded internally, giving evi
dence of a violent struggle against thu
wires of the cage. 1t must have partl,
pushed its head between them, an(
found difficulty in extricating itself
going sideways, and then falling from
|, the window on to some iron bars be
: meath. The jaw and teeth on one sid,
, were much injured; for when, afte
this. attempted to feed it, it strug
!. gled violently ana swallowed nothin,
more. s3 ~ q
= 1t never regained sufficient energ,
,, to attempt another escape, but alway
= held its head Sideways; as if stiff or il
pain; and after four or five days, poo
little Phrynosomd c0rnutum died, an
,yos bur;od Cbo,,bers' Toaro1L