The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-08-23
WAYS OF THE IGUANAS.
THEIR LIFE 4 ROUND OF SLoW
 CRAWLING.
Sun Baths, and Frantic Rushes-A Self Repairing Tail, Sometimes Even an Extra One-Few Real Lizards Here abOuts.

aBOuts.
 If any one tells you that he has seen a lizard near New York city, it Is ten chances to one that he has only come across small newt or eft, a member of the battrachian or frog class. as in this vicinity there are only two species of true, scaled lizards, and these are very rare. In the south the status of the lizard fauna is very different, and every bush and plant rustles with their scampering, and we may see their slim forms shoot up the pine trees like streaks of light. But taken all in all our first hand knowledge of the four footed saurians is not apt to be over great.
 Even when placed in cage on exhi- bltlon, the larger kinds known as 1guanas are generally slothful and giv- en to lying prostrate on branch from morning to night; but in the New York Geological Park a new exhibit of these great lizards has been prepared which shows them in an entirely new light almost as much at home as among the palms and cliffs of their tropical haunts East of the reptile house are several large outdoor yards with a surrounding overhanging fence, plenty of sand, an abundance of prickly plants, and few dead cedars. This is paradise for the iguanas, which eat and thrive and amuse themselves and the visitors, and thus fulfil perfectly their present mission in life.
 Between the wooden walk and the fence is strip of what once was turf, and two signs mutely request the vis- ttor to please keep off the grass, but interest in the reptiles proved too much and every spear of grass has long since been trodden out of exist enoe, while the now superfluous sign is used as an arm-rest by the herpto- logical-inclined visitor. Here the great, lizards are seen to splendid advantage, and we shall enjoy them many times more when we know some of the inter- esting facts of their lives.
 THE LIZARDS ADAPTABILITY.
 Although our usual conception of lizard is of a lowly reptile with but little power of adaptability to changed circumstances, yet these great igua- mas are remarkably quick to change their habits. In the three hundred diff ferent species, there are some which live in trees, others on the ground some burrow, few are semi-aquatic, and one even lives along the shore of the ocean
 The little chameleons (so-called) of our southern states are members of this group, numbering over hundred species, and are fitted for an active in- sect-hunting life, being slender of Ibody, and with the middle toes fur nished with little vacuum, clinging or gans, Many of these little creatures can at will change color from brown to green, this proving an admirable pro- 1 lection when the animal is stunning it. self upon an exposed boulder or a large leaf.
 The basilisk is most remarkable member of this group, being two or threee feet long, and with a tall crest on the head, and a great crest or fin along the back and tail This appen- idage ought to be useful as well as or Inamental for this lizard is an admira- he swimmer; but 1t seems that it pro- gresses by strokes of the fore limbs only, and merelM drags the long tail after or uses it occasionally as rud- der. We know but little about the habits of the basilisk, except that 1t lays about a dozen eggs in hole at the base of a tree
 THE REAL pGUANAS
 Most interesting of all are the real iguanas some of which grow to length of six feet. Their daily life is made up of long periods of slow crawl ing of or sun baths of hours duration, varied by sudden frantic rushes or leaps of lightning like rapidity They live in caves or deeu clefts of cliffs, or in burrows which they tunnel into sandy banks. Early in the day they take up their position at the entrances, |watching you closely as you pass and looking like some long extinct mon sters of the past If undisturbed they emerge and many will begin slowly to ascend trees, They crawl up and up, perhaps feeding on tender leaves and shoots as they go, and at last reaching some small branch, they rest flat upon it with all four legs dangling helpless, in midair or clasped tightly about it, If 6 person approaches the base, of the tree, he may look in vain for any iguanas which may be in the tree, but let him stand motionless and send some one else around to the opposite cfE En I 0x1y1xy he, dark bodies of the great lizards will come into view, slowly revolving on their branches, to keep on the side op- posite the person passing beneath. How they know when to do this is a mystery, as they seem never to look down. or to show any part of their heads.
 Although invisible most of the day, yet at evening they appear in a most startling role Sitting on the bank of some tropical stream, we watch the sun sink lower and lower until sud- denly a large black form shoots into view, whizzes past and falls with re- sounding splash into the water, A mo- ment later we can see the lizard undu- lattng toward the bank, Then another and another iguana shoots downward and involuntarily we draw back right ly dreading being struck by one of these creatures. Thus the lazy igua- mas save themselves the trouble of crawling down from their lofty perch es. When water is not available they hurl themselves down upon dense un- dergrowth, appearing never to come to oriaF