INSECT INTRUDERS. 



I admit that to the new comer to India 

 the sight of a large fat-sided, yellow 

 lizard flattened against the wall close 

 to the wall lamps, with his great convex 

 black eyes sticking out of his head and 

 apparently fixing one with their glassy 

 stare, is a little alarming. But watch 

 him for a short space and you will see 

 the eyes fixed intently on some small fly 

 crawling towards the light. Moving in 

 short quick rushes at first, the lizard 

 finally approaches very very slowly in 

 scarcely perceivable movements until 

 within dashing distance, when a quick 

 movement, a gulp, and that insect has 

 left this outer world for the interior re- 

 gions of the reptile. Watch a little 

 longer and, if it is the rainy season when 

 insects are most plentiful, you will soon 

 see the sides of that lizard visibly dis- 

 tended like those of a puppy just after 

 its meal. Where they put all the insects 

 they catch and swallow of an evening 

 round a lamp has ever been a mystery to 

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