414 GALAPAGOS ARCHIPELAGO chap. 



weighed between ten and fifteen pounds. In their movements 

 they are lazy and half torpid. When not frightened, they 

 slowly crawl along with their tails and bellies dragging on the 

 ground. They often stop, and doze for a minute or two, with 

 closed eyes and hind legs spread out on the parched soil. 



They inhabit burrows which they sometimes make between 

 fragments of lava, but more generally on level patches of the 

 soft sandstone-like tuff. The holes do not appear to be very 

 deep, and they enter the ground at a small angle ; so that 

 when walking over these lizard-warrens, the soil is constantly 

 giving way, much to the annoyance of the tired walker. This 

 animal, when making its burrow, works alternately the opposite 

 sides of its body. One front leg for a short time scratches up 

 the soil, and throws it towards the hind foot, which is well 

 placed so as to heave it beyond the mouth of the hole. That 

 side of the body being tired, the other takes up the task, and 

 so on alternately. I watched one for a long time, till half its 

 body was buried ; I then walked up and pulled it by the tail ; 

 at this it was greatly astonished, and soon shuffled up to see 

 what was the matter ; and then stared me in the face, as much 

 as to say, " What made you pull my tail ? " 



They feed by day, and do not wander far from their 

 burrows ; if frightened, they rush to them with a most 

 awkward gait. Except when running down hill, they cannot 

 move very fast, apparently from the lateral position of their 

 legs. They are not at all timorous ; when attentively watch- 

 ing any one, they curl their tails, and, raising themselves on 

 their front legs, nod their heads vertically, with a quick move- 

 ment, and try to look very fierce ; but in reality they are not 

 at all so ; if one just stamps on the ground, down go their 

 tails, and off they shuffle as quickly as they can. I have 

 frequently observed small fly-eating lizards, when watching 

 anything, nod their heads in precisely the same manner ; but 

 I do not at all know for what purpose. If this Amblyrhynchus 

 is held and plagued with a stick, it will bite it very severely ; 

 but I caught many by the tail, and they never tried to bite 

 me. If two are placed on the ground and held together, they 

 will fight, and bite each other till blood is drawn. 



The individuals, and they are the greater number, which 

 inhabit the lower country, can scarcely taste a drop of water 



