The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-02-13
LIZARDS AS PETS.
Some Experiences With Pine Tree

Some Experiences With Pine Tree Va-
 riety of This Reptile.
 If there is anything we need to teach more than another, 1t is that numerous insects and reptiles which are held by many persons to be poisonous are per- feetly harmless. This is especially so of the pine tree lizard, or, as it is often called, the fence lizard. It is true that the lizard has teeth, but they are al- most too small to be seen, the finely serrated jaws feeling just like the rough lips of a bass. Moreover, these little saurians seldom attempt to bite, and make interesting pets" says A. R. M. Spaid in 'The Scientific American"
 T have box two feet long, one foot high and six inches wide, the sides be- ing of glass and the bottom covered with white sand to depth of two inch es. With this on my study table I have a good opportunity for watching the five interesting Inmates as they eat and sleep. Two are males and three are fe- males. easily distinguished by their col- or. Their color seems to be inflnenced by the conditions of the atmosphere. After rain or when they first come out of their hiding places in the morning, many of them are very dark. By hold ing them in the hand short time the color changes very perceptibly.
 When my pets are ready to go te bed, they dive into the sand, where they re- main covered up until morning. Then here and there head habs lip, and gradually the saurians either stretch out on the sand or prop themselves up on their forelegs in a most eofaleal manner. They soon become alert and show how keen their capacities are fl flies, crickets, grasshoppers or katyalds are thrown to them. Frequently. when one has seized particularly fat grass hopper, another will attempt to take 1t away. They are also fond of reaches, but care nothing for hard7shelled bee ties. They will net seize an insect un- less 1t is moving, and one often knows when the attack is to be made, as the lizard opens it's mouth just little way before springing upon it's prey 1t uses it's tongue with the same agility as does the freg or toad, and gorges large in
  snake swallows toad.
 Tn burrowing in the sand they make several strokes with the right or left forefoot, changing from one to the oth- CT; but when this dirt is to be worked out of the way, they use their hind feet with alternate strokes with great rapid ity. The female in this way evidently digs into the ground, where she depos- its dozen or more white eggs, which she leaves for the warm earth to hatch.
 T know of nothing else so easily tanned: When caught In the hand they seldom attempt to escape. Placed on ones clothing, they often sit in the same position fer long time. Knowing this peouliarity. decorated my little son with nineteen lizards, just to preve to some sceptical people that was willing to back up my assertions with denaen- stratien. Yet one observer who witt messed it declared that it was risky, and that he knew man who had lost fin- ger from the venofnous bite of fence lizard. A teamster who was not afraid to handle snake could not be persua- ded to touch a lizard, although they both saw finger thrust into a little saurian's mouth. Ignorance is hard to banish. but it easily drives away the truth.
 They are not only harmless, but beneficial. Lying on the fences which surround the field of growing crops, they devour many insects as these attempt to enter the fields, thus benefiting the farmers, who have no appreciation of their value