170 EAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. [Ch. XI. 



about houses, from time to time betraying its whereabouts 

 by a sound resembling a short growl, followed by a short 

 sharp bark, not unlike that of a puppy at play. When I first 

 heard it in a tree I looked up for a monkey ; but on many 

 subsequent occasions it appeared very much like the barking 

 of a small dog. They are veiy difficult to detect, however, 

 cunningly concealing themselves ; and although I have 

 watched for one which was barking a few yards above my 

 head in a tree, I have looked in vain for a considerable time. 

 They are very fond of coming into houses, and are considered 

 by the Malays as reptiles of good omen. They feed upon 

 insects and moths, being particularly partial to Sphyngidae. 



The Iguana (Varanus Dumerihi ?) is a larger species, which 

 reaches a length of seven feet. Although in other respects 

 harmless, it does considerable mischief among domestic 

 fowls, frequenting the neighbourhood of houses for the pur- 

 pose of robbing the hen-roosts. For that reason they are 

 destroyed, and, moreover, by some they are considered 

 excellent eating. "While drying some marine animals in the 

 sun one morning, an iguana appeared upon the scene, walk- 

 ing on tiptoe across the grass, and lifting its head as if 

 scenting something. On my driving it away it returned 

 again three times to the spot, although the bait was not 

 what I should have imagined to be very inviting. I was un- 

 willing to shoot it ; but two or three days after, I fear it met 

 with such a fate in the neighbouring grounds, where it was 

 found near the hen-roost. It was about four feet long. I 

 believe these animals, however, do sometimes subsist upon 

 marine animals, which they pick up on the beach. I have 

 more than once observed them skulking among the roots of 

 the trees close to the margin of the shore ; and on one 

 occasion, I passed and repassed the spot several times on 



