1835.] HABITS OF AQUATIC LIZARDS. 3S1 



this lizard swims witli perfect ease and quickness, by a 

 serpentine movement of its body and flattened tail — the legs 

 being motionless and closely collapsed on its sides. A 

 seaman on board sank one with a heavy vi^elght attached 

 to it, thinking thus to kill It directly ; but when, an hour 

 afterwards, he drew up the line it was quite active. Their 

 limbs and strong claws are admirably adapted for crawling 

 over the rugged and fissured masses of lava which every- 

 where form the coast. In such situations, a group of six 

 or seven of these hideous reptiles may oftentimes be seen on 

 the black rocks, a few feet above the surf, basking in the 

 sun with outstretched legs. 



I opened the stomachs of several, and found them largely 

 distended with minced seaweed {Ulvce), which grows in thin 

 follaceous expansions of a bright green or a dull red colour.' 

 I do not recollect having observed this seaweed In any 

 quantity on the tidal rocks ; and I have reason to believe 

 it grows at the bottom of the sea, at some little distance 

 from the coast. If such be the case, the object of these 

 animals occasionally going out to sea is explained. The 

 stomach contained nothing but the seaweed. Mr. Bynoe, 

 however, found a piece of a crab in one ; but this might 

 have got In accidentally, in the same manner as I have seen 

 a caterpillar, in the midst of some lichen, in the paunch ot 

 a tortoise. The Intestines were large, as In other herb- 

 ivorous animals. The nature of this lizard's food, as well 

 as the structure of Its tail and feet, and the fact of its having 

 been seen voluntarily swimming out at sea, absolutely prove 

 its aquatic habits ; yet there is in this respect one strange 

 anomaly — namely, that when frightened it will not enter 

 the water. Hence it Is easy to drive these lizards down to 

 any little point overhanging the sea, where they will sooner 

 allow a person to catch hold of their tails than jump into 

 the water. 



They do not seem to have any notion of biting, but when 

 much frightened they squirt a drop of fluid from each 

 nostril. I threw one several times as far as 1 could Into 

 a deep pool left by the retiring tide, but it invariably 

 r-rurned in a direct line to the spot where I stood. It 

 im near the bottom, with a very graceful and rapid 

 ..lovcment, and occasionally aided Itself over the unev("n 

 ground with Its feet. As soon as it arrived near the edge, 

 but still being under water, it tried to conceal itself in 

 t he tufts of seaweed, or it entered some crevice. As soon a 



