2498 SCALED REPTILES 



These lizards are confined to the central islands of the Galapagos group, such 

 as Albemarle and James islands, where they are found in great numbers in the low 

 barren districts near the coasts, although also met with in the elevated damp re- 

 gions of the interior. On James island Darwin found them so numerous that it 

 was difficult to obtain a spot free from their burrows on which to pitch a tent. At- 

 taining a weight of from ten to fifteen pounds these lizards are lazy and sluggish in 

 their movements, crawling slowly along with their bellies and tails dragging on the 

 ground, and often stopping for a minute or two to doze with closed eyes, and 

 the hind-limbs stretched out on the arid soil. According to Darwin's account, 

 " they inhabit burrows, which they sometimes make between fragments of lava, 

 but more generally on level patches of the soft sandstone-like tufa. The holes do 

 not appear to be very deep, and they enter the ground at a small angle; so that 

 when walking over these lizard warrens, the soil is constantly giving way, much 

 to the annoyance of the tired walker. This animal, when making its burrow, 

 works alternately the opposite sides of its body. One front leg for a short time 

 scratches up the soil, and throws it toward the hind-foot, which is well placed so 

 as to heave it beyond the mouth of the hole. That side of the body being tired, 

 the other takes up the task, and so on alternately. . . . They feed by day, and 

 do not wander far from their burrows; if frightened, they rush to them with a most 

 awkward gait. Except when running down hill, they cannot move very fast, ap- 

 parently from the lateral position of their legs. They are not at all timorous; when 

 attentively watching anyone, they curl their tails, and, raising themselves on their 

 front legs, nod their heads vertically, with a quick movement, and try to look very 

 fierce; but in reality they are not so at all; if one just stamps on the ground, down 

 go their tails, and off they shuffle as quickly as they can." If worried with a stick, 

 these lizards will bite it severely, and when two are held together on the ground 

 they will fight and bite till blood flows. ' ' The individuals, and they are the greater 

 number, which inhabit the lower country, can scarcely taste a drop of water 

 throughout the year; but they consume much of the succulent cactus, the branches 

 of which are occasionally broken off by the wind. I several times threw a piece to 

 two or three of them when together, and it was amusing enough to see them trying 

 to seize and carry it away in their mouths, like so many hungry dogs with a 

 bone." They also eat the leaves of several trees, more especially of an acacia, to 

 obtain which they ascend the low stunted trees, on the boughs of which they may 

 often be observed quietly feeding. The females lay large eggs of an elongated form 

 in their burrows; both these and the flesh of the lizards themselves being eaten by 

 the inhabitants of the Galapagos. 



The true iguanas, of which there are two closely-allied species 

 s from tropical America and the West Indies, differ from the two pre- 

 ceding genera in that the edges of the crowns of the cheek teeth are serrated, while 

 the front teeth are simply conical. The distinctive features of the iguanas are to be 

 found in the long and much compressed body, the large four-sided head, covered 

 above with enlarged scales, the short neck, powerful limbs, long-toed feet, and the 

 much elongated tail upon which the scales are uniform and keeled. The throat is 

 furnished with a large nondilatable appendage, in front of which is a crest of large 



