278 DENIZENS OF THE DESERT 



itself on a rock. Always when feeding it raises 

 itself well on its legs seemingly to avoid being 

 bitten. The moment the insect moves, the 

 horned lizard darts for it, catches it on the end 

 of its viscid tongue, swallows it alive, and backs 

 off again. Why this animal is never bothered 

 by being stung internally by the ants it eats 

 seems hard to explain. Certainly the mouth 

 and stomach must be particularly adapted to 

 withstand the poisonous sting of insects, for 

 when stung externally the lizard shows no little 

 discomfiture. 1 ' 



Sand, dirt, and even small pebbles are often 

 found in the stomach. These are probably 

 taken in the act of swallowing the prey. I have 

 found nematodes (parasitic round-worms) in 

 several stomachs I have personally examined. 



It is believed that the road-runner and the 

 rattlesnake are his two worst enemies. Against 

 such an enemy as the road-runner, whose keen 

 eye is ever on the alert to discover fresh sources 

 of food to appease his enormous appetite, the 

 slow-moving horned lizard is practically de- 

 fenseless. If he is close to a hole or bush, or if 

 he taxes his wits to the limit, he may try to 



