134 



REPTILES 



Southern States. Crocodiles resemble alligators but have 

 narrower mouths. 



132. Adaptations. — Reptiles are peculiarly adapted to 

 their environment. Snakes that live in trees are some- 

 times the color of leaves or bark. Some that are harmless are 

 colored much like poisonous snakes. An adaptive feature 

 of the crocodile is a fold of skin which shuts off the mouth 



Figure 134. — Alligator Nest. 



from the throat and prevents water from entering the 

 throat while the crocodile is drowning its prey. The old 

 world chameleons have their feet modified for clasping 

 branches. In the case of the turtles, those that live in 

 the sea have paddle-like feet for swimming, while those 

 that live partly on land and partly in the water have toes 

 with webs. Lizards are almost always of about the same 

 color as their surroundings. 



