4 1 6 



The National Geographic Magazine 



Two-footed Worm Lizard, Lipes caniciilatus 



Worm-like and practically blind, this degenerate lizard leads a subterraneous life, burrowing long 

 tunnels, through which it moves backward or forward 



it is very easily overtaken by its enemy, 

 the king snake. As the pursuer catches 

 up with his prey he grasps at once at the 

 first part offered. 



"There is a sudden twisting movement 

 on the part of the glass 'snake,' and the 

 victor finds that the smooth, scaly length 

 he holds in his jaws is so vigorous that it 

 requires much attention, for it twists and 

 wriggles with great energy. Swallowing 

 all his prey head first, the cannibal works 

 his jaws along the victim to engulf it 

 from such a position, when, after much 

 maneuvering with the writhing quarry, 

 the snake stops in some embarrassment. 

 There is no head. The object that has 

 engaged so much attention is simply the 



long tail of the lizard, and the abbre- 

 viated owner has glided to safety." 



HORNED LIZARDS 



The expulsion of jets of blood from the 

 corner of the eye is a remarkable habit 

 sometimes attributed to horned lizards. 

 We can hardly wonder that so emiment 

 an observer as Raymond Lee Ditmars, 

 Curator of Reptiles in the New York 

 Zoological Park, after having examined 

 several hundred specimens without ob- 

 serving the effect, should have become 

 somewhat skeptical about the alleged 

 habit. His skepticism, however, has been 

 suddenly dispelled with a rather startling 

 denouement. 



