THE LIZARDS 167 



the smaller species, seldom growing over four feet long. 

 The tail is perfectly round. Owing to its piercing yel- 

 low eyes it seems always alert and cunning. An angry 

 specimen will go through a series of amusing manoeu- 

 vres. Flattening the body, the Monitor turns the head 

 to one side until a yellow eye glows squarely upon the 

 tormentor. It opens the mouth, distends the throat and 

 utters a series of sharp hisses, blowing so vigorously its 

 eyes sometimes run or bubble at the corners. If these 

 antics are not sufficient to drive the intruder away, the 

 lizard will actually advance a few inches in sidelong 

 fashion, trying to deliver a whip-like blow with the 

 tail; then, as if suddenly realizing its audacity in the 

 presence of a superior enemy, it rushes away for a short 

 distance — to stop with apparent shame at its flight and 

 glare backward, puffing vigorously, though ready to 

 take advantage of the distance gained by darting away 

 from the adversary upon his first move. These actions 

 relate to captive Monitors, kept in yards, as the writer 

 has observed many of them. A wild specimen never 

 stops to argue if confronted by man, unless cornered; 

 it strikes up a gait for safety that is beyond the capabil- 

 ity of human limbs, never stopping unless hidden in a 

 burrow or among impenetrable brush. 



Largest of all living lizards is a monitor inhabiting 

 Ceylon, the Malay Peninsula and the greater number 

 of islands in the Malay Archipelago. This is the 

 • Kababa-goya of the Singhalese, a reptile known tech- 

 nically as Varanus salvator, reaching a length of eight 

 feet. The tail is much compressed. This powerful 

 brute is partial to the jungles. Few sportsmen have 

 been through such country without occasionally being 

 startled by the rush of a monitor ahead, making as much 

 noise as some hoofed animal as it tears its way through 



