80 THE VIVARIUM. 
Karens. They are hunted by dogs which, by means of the scent, 
track them to their hiding-places in hollow trees. Though a 
Burman is usually a very lazy man, he is quite ready to undergo 
the fatigue of cutting down a tree in the hollow interior of which 
he knows a Monitor to be hiding. These creatures frequently 
bury their eggs in a deserted White Ant’s nest. Their eggs are 
much relished by the Burmese, and are preferred by these people 
to those of the ordinary fowl. They are ‘‘oily and feculent- 
looking,” but as they have no unpleasant odour they are some- 
times eaten readily by EKuropeans. 
Gould’s Monitor (V. Gouldi) comes from Australia, and is 
fairly frequently imported into this country. It has two yellow 
streaks on each side of the neck. 
The Gigantic Lace Monitor (V. giganteus) of Australia is one of 
the largest of the Monitors, sometimes attaining the length of 7ft. 
It is, according to Dr. Gray, ‘‘ brown, back and tail with cross- 
bands of large black-edged white spots ;” the legs also are spotted 
with white. 
I should not recommend anyone to attempt to keep in con- 
finement a full-grown Monitor, but young ones are quite suitable 
for such a purpose, and are by no means uninteresting. They 
are generally hardy and good feeders—taking, as a rule, either 
live or dead food, preferring, however, the former. Water 
Monitors, of course, should be provided with a suitably-sized 
bath, the water of which should be changed every day. Soft 
water is decidedly better for these animals than hard. Monitors 
are occasionally sold in London for so little a sum as 5s. each. 
Those which are firm (¢.e., not limp to the touch or listless in 
appearance, though I have known such to recover their health) 
and lively should be chosen, and if possible, when they are about 
1ft. in length. 
It, of course, ‘‘ goes without saying” that, as a rule, poisonous 
Reptiles should not be kept as pets, though they are exceedingly 
interesting. There is the risk of an accident even with the most 
careful and prudent; aud besides this there is the chance of the 
animal’s escape, which is sure to lead to a great deal of anxiety, 
and perhaps to something far worse than mere anxiety. Though I 
do not intend in this chapter to say anything about the keeping 
