152 ASSOCIATION OF ORGANISMS THE WEB OF LIFE 



is heaping up a pile of saw-grass and dirt for a nest, while upon 

 opposite sides of the pond, and just upon the edge of the saw- 

 grass, eyeing her with warm glances of admiration, and each 

 other with the sullen glare of hatred, lie two old males, whose 

 scarred and bleeding bodies testify that even a 'gator's cold 

 blood is thicker than water. The smaller one moves painfully, 

 for his right fore- foot is missing the larger one got his jaws 

 upon it, a few rapid turns, and the foot was gone, probably soon 

 buried in the stomach of the victor. .The loss of a foot in 

 fighting is quite common, for I have taken three thus maimed, 

 and heard of others." 



THE LAW OF BEAUTY. The most striking examples among 

 Reptiles of relatively ornamental males is afforded by some of 



Fig. iii2. Male Lizard (Sitana} with Throat-pouch 



the Lizards. In certain Indian species of the genus Sitana 

 (fig. 1112), for instance, the male is provided with a brilliantly- 

 coloured throat-pouch, which can be either folded up or dilated, 

 and is only fully displayed during the mating-season. It also 

 appears that at this time the scent-glands of Crocodiles, Snakes, 

 and Lizards are particularly active in the male. 



COURTSHIP AND MATING OF AMPHIBIANS (AMPHIBIA) 



THE LAW OF BATTLE. Our information here is somewhat 

 scanty, but male Frogs have been observed fighting together 

 with great ferocity during the mating season, at which time also 

 male Toads wrestle with one another in a determined manner, 

 discomfited athletes being at a discount among the females. 



THE LAW OF BEAUTY. Here we may take as an example 



