272 THE IGUANA. 



as the Crocodiles and Alligators do to the land. 



From what precedes^ it may easily be gathered that the Iguana is amphibious. 

 It lives on the banks of large rivers and lagoons, where it is generally seen 

 basking in the sunshine, either on the ground or on the trunk of some 

 fiillen tree. In some of the West India Islands, however, where there are 

 no large rivers, and the shores are precipitous, it inhabits the clefts of rocks. 

 On being pursued, if the precaution is not taken of cutting it off from the 

 water, it immediately takes to it, into which it dives, and is not again seen. 



When, however, the reptile is young, it seeks the protection of trees, on 

 which it creeps to the very top, and secretes itself among the dense foliage. 

 This, no doubt, is the reason why the Iguana is provided with apposable 

 toes; for, from a study of the creature, it is easily perceived that trees are 

 perhaps the only objects on which the young Iguanas could find security; 

 because those reptiles, when young, are exceedingly stupid and indolent, and 

 even seem to lack a great deal of the common instinct of self-preservation. 

 The young Iguana will not flee away from you until your hand is almost 

 laid upon it; its large lurid eye nevertheless is all the time fixed upon you 

 in a vague and torpid gaze. When the Iguana has attained a considerable 

 size, it abandons the trees and remains on the ground — the proper medium, 

 it would appear, of its existence; it is there that it feeds. Its food consists 

 of vegetable matter, of which it takes, upon the whole, but little, as it 

 would seem that it requires but little aliment to maintain life. Its powers 

 of abstinence are extraordinary. Iguanas have been known to live for weeks 

 together without food, and to show no great decrease in their size. 



The Iguana, like the generality of reptiles, is exceedingly torpid and indolent; 

 it, however, displays great activity and extraordinary agility when it is roused 

 to action. It will remain for hours together basking in the sun, without once 

 moving its head or any of its limbs. Even when caught, the Iguana never 

 makes an attempt to escape, such is its lethargy. When, however, it is 

 pursued by the dogs, by which it is generally hunted, it displays extraordinary 

 fleetness; it flies over the ground with astonishing rapidity. Its motions are 

 much more graceful than those of the generality of reptiles, for it has not 

 that tortuous movement which characterizes creeping things, from the Crocodile 

 to the Snail. 



The Iguana is exceedingly inoffensive; it does not seem to be pi'ovided by 

 nature with any weapon either of offence or defence. Its serrated teeth seem 

 intended solely for cropping the vegetable matter on which it lives, as a 

 person may put his finger between its jaws with impunity. In the month 

 of March however, the season when they seek the females, and are particularly 

 excited, the Iguanas make dexterous use of their tails, the one against the 

 other, in their little amorous battles. Sometimes, too, the large males will 

 turn on the dogs that pursue them, and whip them severely with their long 

 wiry tails. With the exception of this slight warlike disposition, these creatures 

 arc quite harmless. 



