The Horned Lizards 



by the character of the tongue. The Horned Lizards do not 

 procure their prey by a scampering rush as do the majority of 

 the North American lacertilians. In coming in close proximity 

 to the food, the head is bent deliberately, the thick, viscid tongue 

 is quickly protruded and like a flash the morsel has disappeared 

 within the lizard's mouth. Although these actions are very 

 toad-like, all similarity to the movements of the batrachian 

 may a few seconds later be dispelled, when the lizard, taking 

 fright, darts away with the speed of a startled mouse. 



If caught and handled, the average horned "toad" is rather 

 a spiritless creature. It seldom attempts to bite, although it 

 may vigorously employ the spines of the head in an endeavour 

 to produce injury which is quite impossible, beyond a superficial 

 scrarch. The average specimen shuts its eyes and feigns a state 

 of indifference, or death. Some specimens puff up prodigiously, 

 while others perform to the extreme reverse, flattening the body 

 to such an extent that they seem devoid of internal organs. Oc- 

 casional specimens, when handled, exhibit a remarkable habit. 

 This consists of the ejection of jets of blood from the corner 

 of the eye. It was after examining several hundred specimens, 

 that the writer's inclination to become sceptical about the alleged 

 habit suddenly received a startling reverse. He received an 

 unusually large and fat specimen of a Mexican species Pbryno- 

 soma orbiculare, of a rich, reddish hue almost a crimson. After 

 photographing the specimen, it was measured. The latter 

 process seemed to greatly excite the creature. It finally threw 

 the head slightly upward, the neck became rigid, the eyes bulged 

 from the sockets, when there was a distinct sound like that pro- 

 duced if one presses the tongue against the roof of the mouth 

 and forces a small quantity of air forward. This rasping sound, 

 consuming but the fraction of a second, was accompanied by a 

 jet of blood at great pressure. It hit the wall, four feet away, 

 at the same level as that of the reptile. The duration of the 

 flow of blood appeared to be about one and a half seconds and 

 toward its termination the force gradually diminished, as noted 

 by a course of drops down the wall and along the floor to a posi- 

 tion almost under the spot where the reptile had been held. 

 The stream of blood seemed to be as fine as a horse-hair and to 

 issue from the eye-lid, which was momentarily much swollen. 

 For some time after the performance the eyes were tightly closed 



