96 



SAURIA. IGUANADiE. 



HEAD OF ANOLIS. 



goitre is almost always of bright colours, usually 

 some tint of orange or red, and is not susceptible 



of change in hue, 

 as has been errone- 

 ously stated even 

 when the colours 

 of the body are 

 mutable. 



The food of the 

 smaller species of 

 the IguanadcB con- 

 sists chiefly of in- 

 sects, in the cap- 

 ture of which they 

 display great agi- 

 lity. We have, 

 however, seen specimens of the genus Dactyloa 

 (allied to Anolis) engaged in feeding on pulpy 

 berries ; and MM. Dumeril and Bibron state 

 that in their dissections of many of the larger 

 species they have found the stomach filled with 

 vegetable matters, such as flowers, leaves, and 

 seeds, in considerable quantities, and hence these 

 herpetologists conclude that most of the species 

 are herbivorous. The true Iguanas are said, 

 however, to feed voraciously on animal matters 

 also, such as the eggs of birds, the intestines of 

 fowls, and insects. 



An interesting anecdote recorded by Professor 

 Bell of one of the smallest of the Iguanadce shows 

 that insectivorous animals may be exposed to 

 danger from the noxious qualities of the insects 

 which they attack. " Some years since," ob- 

 serves this zoologist, " I had in my possession two 

 living specimens of the beautiful little green Anolis 



