New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-04
WHERE LIZARDS AND SNAKES ABOtN NJ
TONGUED" LIZARD IN COMBAT WITH
A SNAKE.
II. Stuart Dove. in Nature Notes.

Ii. stuart Dove, III Nature NOtes
We are rich in lizards in Tasmania; they
abound everywhere. summing themselves on the
tree trunks. crawling over the stumps, running
about the garden. and occasionally investigating
domestic affairs in the house. They are mostly
quick lively little Fellows with Drown skIns uI-
vcrsiheG with black, and eyes as bright as dia-
monds Then there are the blood suckers
ashy- gray lizards with irregular black markings
upon the back and covered with spiny proJec-
lions. most people are rather afraid OF them
| and they do look very f,rocious when annoyed
FOR they open their mouths with a cape Ike a
crocodile II II would give them great pleas
ure to swallow us whole The death adder is
another lizard that grows to Il good size. and
is very prottily marked 1t Is much dreaded
in the bush for rs supposed poisonous proper
tics and the most dreadful tales are told OF
It's envenomed attacks Probably the idea has
arisen through the snakcke appearance OF this
saurian as it glides through the heritage, It's
body being very long and slender and the legs
comparatively short.
The largest OF all our lizards, however is the
blue tongued," a stout, able-looking fel-
low clad in yellow and black suit OF plate
armor and much given to lying about the bush
roads and tracks asleep in the sun when one
can often step over him even on horseback,
without disturbing his slumbers. This heavi-
ness II disposition has earned FOR our stold
friend another name-the sleeping lizard
while from his fondness for taking up residence
in the holes OF dry stumps he is also known as
the stump lizard Finally, his nickname
among the bush folk "goanner." a corruption
evidently of guiana to which family. however,
he bears no resemblance. being a nOn-climber
and OF thick stout build. Now this blue
tongucd" lizard the Tiliqua nigrolutea Of natu-
ralists deserves good treatment at the hands OF
the bushman on account of one very interesting
regularity which il man!ests in common with
the lord Of creation namely, to its great an
tipathy to snakes. In Tasmania il takes the
place of that noted cobra destroyer the Indian
monroOse, and iil-adapted as II would at first
appear to encounter such foes, yet IL generally
comes of the victor
We spoke just now Of the heavy stold dispo-
situn Of our black and yellow knight but let
a nice medium lied snake heave into sight and
all is changed The seepiness disappears IL
by magic and every nerve seems on the alert.
every sinew toughcned to meet the enemy. This
latter has evidently no stomach for fight and
would straight depart" but his assailant bars
tho way and forces an encounter Then quick
lightning the snake makes dart but
friend lodges with practised skill and gets in"
ing and savagely swapping at each other. the
snake getting the worst Of IL all the time and
soon exhibiting the most unmistakable signs Of
being played out. Now is the "goanner's" op-
portunty: with quick deXterous turn he twists
the snake over. and gives him a coup de grace
under the chin" Then comes the reward OF
valor taking the head between his strong jaws,
our ue-tongued hero begins with much relish
with the same persstenCy as during the fight
having thus accounted for" another child Of the
EYi, one the victor retres to the shelter Of q
hollow log to sleep of the repast