DOMESTIC LIFE. 133 



reptiles and probably serve in all cases the 

 same purpose. 



In many species of lizards the males during 

 the breeding season become very pugnacious, and 

 rivals never meet without a conflict. In Anolis 

 carolinensis, for example, when two males meet 

 they face one another, bob the head up and 

 down two or three times, expand the throat 

 pouch, lash their tails from side to side, and 

 then, worked up to the requisite pitch of fury, 

 rush at one another, rolling over and over, and 

 holding firmly with the teeth. The conflict 



fenerally ends in one of the combatants losing 

 is tail, which is eaten by the victor ! 



Dr Gadow, on the authority of Mr Annandale, 

 describes as follows the courtship of the lizard 

 (Calotes emma) of the Malay Peninsula. "The 

 males are very pugnacious and change colour 

 as they fight. At the time of courtship a curious 

 performance is gone through by the male, the 

 female remaining concealed in the foliage hard 

 by. He chooses some convenient station, such 

 as a banana leaf or the top of a fence, and 

 advances slowly towards the female. His colour 

 is then pale yellowish flesh colour, 'with a con- 

 spicuous dark spot on each of the gular pouches, 

 which are extended to their utmost. He stands 

 upright, raising the fore part of the body as high 

 as possible, and nodding his head solemnly up 

 and down. As he does so, the mouth is rapidly 

 repeatedly opened and shut, but no sound is 

 emitted. When he is driven away, caught or 

 killed, the dark spot disappears entirely from 

 the neck." 



