158 



LIVING CREATURES. 



nearly all lizards are wholly inoffensive, while they do 

 much good by destroying beetles and other harmful 

 insects. 



The horned toad, which is found in some of the states 

 west of the Mississippi, in Colorado and California, 



is coming to be well 

 known, because it is 

 so pleasing as a pet. 

 It is not a toad, 

 though slightly re- 

 sembling one. When 

 first caught, a string 

 is tied to its horns, 

 and it is fastened like 

 a chained dog. Soon 

 it becomes very tame, 

 and will take milk 



and flies from the hands of its friends. It is so bashful 

 that, when looked at sharply, it flattens its body and 

 pretends to be dead. A little tickling of its sides 

 brings back its activity. The dog it especially dislikes, 

 puffing itself up when he comes near, and lowering its 

 horns and hissing in a most ridiculous way. 



A long step from the lizard brings us to the crocodile 

 and alligator, which inhabit tropical rivers. The croco- 

 dile sometimes grows to a length of twenty fe.et. In 

 Africa it is very abundant, and is dangerous, sometimes 

 catching cattle and antelopes, when they come to drink. 

 Livingstone says it frequently captures little children 

 at play on the river banks. 



The ancient Greek historian, Herodotus, describes 

 the crocodile bird, which is a cousin of our plover. 



Horned Toad. 



