723 



AN APPEAL FOR LIZARDS 

 By 



F. Gleadow, I.F.S. 



It was pointed out to me lately that the Society's collection of 

 lizards is small and dwindling. In fact, lizards do not keep for ever, 

 (witness one I was expected to mime, Ugh!) and unless new specimens 

 are sent in, a museum soon begins to deteriorate. Below will be found 

 a catalogue of our collection, followed by a list of desiderata. It will 

 be observed, by those gifted with sufficient perspicuity, that the latter 

 list is the longer of the two. I, therefore, venture to ask the charitable 

 and benevolent in all parts of India to collect and forward lizards of all 

 kinds except those known to be very common. Persons who may not 

 have been born lizard -catchers may feel diffident of success, but they 

 have only to try and see that there is interest and some fun in this 

 mild form of shikar. Lizards are not all taken with the same bait. A 

 charge of small shot, a smart terrier, a fishing rod with a running noose 

 at the end, will take the lizard if he will not take them. They may 

 be caught by hand, chased with a stick in the hot weather (Professor 

 Mugwump's cure for obesity), or dug out of the ground. The latter 

 method is excellent in sandy country ; the burrows are not deep (except 

 some of the Agam/dce). and if a twig is inserted in advance, the hide is 

 not obliterated by fallen sand. Fingers should not be stuck up these 

 holes, for they sometimes contain venomous snakes. It is rather fun 

 seeing half a dozen native boys trying to catch a lively Eremias or 

 Calotes. Many kinds live under dead bark or stones and are easily 

 caught. Above all, do not flurry the CI ameleons. A Chameleon can 

 move his legs at the rate of one every 5 seconds, but he regards it as 

 most indecent and undignified if he has to take more than a step every 

 25 seconds. So spare his feelings. He will open his mouth, but you 

 can put your finger in and he will merely wonder when you are going 

 to take it out again. 



When the lizards have been caught, they may either be forwarded 

 alive to the Honorary Secretary of our Society or killed by drowning, 

 when after a small incLion lengthways has Le3n made in the abdomen, 

 they should be placed in some weak spirit and water, and forwarded 

 by post. 



