THE LIZARDS 139 



the imaginative pictures of strange reptiles of the past. 

 The head is very massive, with big, rounded protuber- 

 ances on the top and much swollen at the junction of the 

 jaws; there is a hanging throat pouch; on the neck and 

 shoulders the skin rises in coarse, vein-like folds. The 

 species has a habit of squatting flat upon the hind quar- 

 ters with the forward portion of the body reared high up- 

 on the strong front legs. In this position a lizard will re- 

 main for some time as motionless as if carved from stone. 

 The Rhinoceros Iguana is rather difficult to obtain. 

 It is a far more showy creature than the common iguana. 

 A good pair is worth about $50.00 if purchased from a 

 dealer in the United States, while fine examples of the 

 common iguana, I. tuberculoid, may be bought for three 

 or four dollars each. The present species is hunted 

 with dogs especially trained for the purpose. All 

 newly-arrived specimens examined by the writer were 

 extremely vicious, lashing the tail from side to side and 

 rearing upon the hind legs in an effort to bite. If 

 grasped quickly and properly by a strong hand, they 

 are comparatively helpless ; if handled incautiously they 

 can lacerate a hand and arm as badly as a wild cat. 

 In transferring specimens from one crate to another, 

 the writer makes a grab for the back of the animal's 

 neck, holding the brute firmly to the ground; with the 

 other hand he quickly presses back the hind legs, then 

 holding the lizard in this position is able to lift and 

 carry it with little trouble. The animal cannot turn and 

 bite, nor can it use its claws. After a time these lizards 

 become very tame. They will rush to meet the person 

 who feeds them, unhesitatingly taking food from the 

 fingers. Very fond of young chickens, they rush upon 

 a fowl, killing it by several vigorous shakes. If the prey 

 is too large to be swallowed entire, it is further shaken 



