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In common with those members of the family which have their body rather com- 

 pressed, and covered with squared scales, the Iguana is a percher on trees, living almost 

 wholly among the branches, to which it clings with its powerful feet, and on which it 

 finds the greater part of its food. It is almost always to be found on the trees that 

 are in the vicinity of water, and especially favours those that grow upon the banks 

 of a river, where the branches overhang the stream. 



Though not one of the aquatic Lizards, the Iguana is quite at home in the water, and 

 if alarmed, will often plunge into the stream, and either dive or swim rapidly away. 

 While swimming, it lays its fore legs against the sides, so as to afford the smallest 

 possible resistance to the water, stretches out the hinder legs, and by a rapid serpentine 

 movement of its long and flexible tail, passes swiftly through the waves. It has 

 considerable power of enduring immersion, as indeed is the case with nearly all reptiles, 

 aud has been known to remain under water for an entire hour, and at the end of that 

 time to emerge in perfect vigour. 



From the aspect of this long-tailed, dewlapped, scaly, spiny Lizard, most persons 

 would rather recoil than feel attracted, and the idea of eating the flesh of so repulsive 

 a creature would not be likely to occur to them. Yet in truth, the flesh of the Iguana is 

 justly reckoned among one of the delicacies of the country where it resides, being tender, 

 and of a peculiarly delicate flavour, not unlike the breast of a spring chicken. There are 

 various modes of cooking the Iguana, roasting and boiling being the most common. 

 Making it into a fricassee, however, is the mode which has met the largest general 

 approval, and a dish of Iguana cutlets, when properly dressed, takes a very high place 

 among the delicacies of a well-spread table. 



The eggs too, of which the female Iguana lays from four to six dozen, are very well 

 flavoured and in high repute. It is rather curious that they contain very little albumen, 

 the yellow filling almost the entire shell. As is the case with the eggs of the turtle, they 

 never harden by boiling, and only assume a little thicker consistence. Some persons of 

 peculiar constitutions cannot eat either the flesh or the eggs of the Iguana, and it is said 

 that this diet is very injurious to some diseases. The eggs are hid by the female Iguana 

 in sandy soil near rivers, lakes, or the sea-coast, and after covering them with sand, she 

 leaves them to be hatched by the heat of the sun. 



In consequence of the excellence of the flesh and eggs, the Iguana is greatly 

 persecuted by mankind, and its numbers considerably thinned. Those who hunt the 

 animal for sport or merely to supply their own homes, generally employ a noose for the 

 purpose, which they cast dexterously round the neck of the reptile as it sits on a branch, 

 and then by a sudden and sharp jerk loosen its hold, and secure it. The creature is 

 very bold, having but little idea of running away, and in general is so confident of its 

 capability of frightening away its antagonist by puffing up its long dewlap, and looking 

 ferocious, that it is captured before it discovers its mistake. Even when caught, it has no 

 notion of yielding without a struggle, but bites so fiercely with its sharp leaf-like teeth, 

 and lashes so vigorously with its long whip-like tail, that it is not secured without some 

 trouble and risk It is also very tenacious of life, and does not readily die even from 

 repeated blows with heavy sticks, so that the spear or the pistol are often employed to 

 kill it. 



Those, however, who hunt the Iguana for sale, are obliged to have recourse to other 

 expedients, such as nets, and dogs, the latter being trained to secure the Iguana without 

 killing it. Many persons set out on regular expeditions of tnis sort, embarking in a 

 little vessel and. visiting numbers of different islands and inlets in chase of the Iguana. 

 Those which they can succeed in taking alive, have their mouths carefully secured to 

 prevent them from biting, and are then stowed away in the hold, where they will live for 

 a considerable time without requiring any nourishment. Those which are killed, they 

 either eat on the spot, or salt them down in barrels for winter consumption. Were the 

 Iguanas quick of foot, they would seldom be captured, but, fortunately for the hunters, 

 they cannot run fast, and according to the quaint lai.guage of Catesby, who visited the 

 Bahamas about 1 740, " their holes are a greater security to them than their heels." 



The food of the Iguana seems to consist almost entirely of fruits, fungi, and other 



