THE HORNED LIZARDS 



would never do so again. The Indians say that if a 

 snake swallows one whole, the unconquerable 

 creature proceeds to work its way by a short cut 

 from the stomach outwards which must be a very 

 disagreeable process, bringing repentance to the 

 snake. 



Another remarkable feature in the horned lizards 

 is their power of colour -change. They have the 



PHRYNOSOME HORNED LIZARD. 



secret of the Gyges ring, and putting on the garment 

 of invisibility is for them as easy as winking. 

 " Wherever its home," says Mr. Harold C. Bryant, 

 " the horned lizard resembles the colour of the soil 

 so closely that it is practically invisible except when 

 in motion. Specimens from the white sand of the 

 desert are very light in colour, those from the black 

 lava belt are almost black, whereas those from the 

 many-coloured mountain districts show red and even 

 bluish markings. How quickly a change of sur- 

 roundings would bring about a change in colour is 

 not definitely known, but some observers say that 



189 



