Reptiles 



with visits of geckos that enter homes in their search for 

 insect prey." 



We can vouch for the rapidity of the geckos' movements. 

 Time and again we have seen them basking in the sun on 

 walls in Morocco and have attempted to catch them, but 

 so well contrived are their sucker toes that no human 

 hand could ever capture them as they scale some 

 vertical wall with the alacrity of a monkey climbing a 

 tree. 



Not far removed from the geckos in the genealogical 

 tree of the animal kingdom are the horned lizards which 

 have acquired a habit that was long considered a myth, 

 but one that has now been vouched for by certain trust- 

 worthy observers. We cannot describe the habit as in- 

 genious, but it is so extraordinary that we must not over- 

 look it. When angered, some species of horned lizard 

 squirt a minute stream of blood from the corners of their 

 eyes. Anger puffs them up to such an extent that their 

 eyes literally bulge in their sockets ; then, without warn- 

 ing, a tiny stream of blood, as fine as a hair, shoots from 

 their eyes and travels a distance of at least five feet. 

 The why and wherefore of this strange proceeding has 

 never been explained. 



The gila (pronounced hee-la) monster is notorious as 

 being the only poisonous lizard. It is an evil-looking, 

 obese, black and orange mottled beast, capable of dis- 

 playing extraordinary vivacity despite its sluggish 

 appearance. It claims attention in our pages by reason 

 of its curious larder. We have heard of animals storing 

 food against a rainy day, both above and below ground, 

 in every conceivable hiding-place, but surely the gila 

 monster's storehouse is the most curious of all, for it is 

 situated in the animal's tail. During prosperous times the 

 lizard is a gross feeder and its tail becomes visibly larger, 

 till it reaches abnormal proportions. Now desert food is 

 hard to find at times and the gila monster with its fat tail 

 is well able to overcome times of distress and want. It 



234 



