LIZARDS. 147 
but it does show a little activity when placed in the hot rays of 
the sun. It will not even feed unless it has plenty of sun. At 
night, when the sun goes down and the temperature becomes cooler, 
the creature seems, at first sight, to have lost what little life it 
had during the day, appearing, to the unobservant, quite dead. 
For this reason children have called it ‘‘ the Lizard which dies 
every night and comes to life again every morning.” This nightly 
torpor is characteristic of many Reptiles, but it is very noticeable 
in the case of P. cornutum. 
The Californian Toad‘is a native of some of the hottest and 
driest parts of America—California, Kansas, Texas, Mexico, etce.; 
it is even found in the Death Valley of Colorado. In certain 
places it is very common, and from time to time has been im- 
ported into this country in considerable numbers, its market 
price during the summer ranging from 5s. to 8s. 6d. It is generally 
under 6in. in length. 
The Vivarium in which the Horned Lizard is confined should 
have a thick layer of fine and dry sand, in which it will bury 
itself at night. JI have never seen the creature drink, and I am 
not sure that it does drink; but, still, I have always supplied 
mine with a small quantity of water. While at liberty, in its 
native land, it must at times be obliged to forego the slaking of 
its thirst, if it ever has one. It is, indeed, a curious creature. 
Its food in captivity may consist of spiders, cockroaches, beetles, 
mealworms, flies, gentles, earwigs and the like. It will not eat 
anything which is dead. 
Fig. 50 obviates the necessity of any detailed description of 
the Lizard. It is greyish or brownish on the back, down the 
centre of which runs a lighter coloured streak. Dr. Stradling, 
in describing the colouring of the P. cornutum, says: “‘ The 
usual colour of these Lizards is a dull brown, with indistinct 
markings, relieved by the white edges or red tips of the spines, 
but they become bright red or orange at times, and the pattern 
shows up much more plainly on the lighter ground. I have one 
which glows out in crimson patches suddenly when disturbed, 
as though red fire were lighted up inside him; another, a very 
fine one, displays pale grey marks along the sides, which turn 
sea-green now and then.” 
L2 
