156 TEXAS NATURE OBSERVATIONS AND REMINISCENCES, 



grabbed the insect by the rear 

 part of its body — just as seen on 

 the illustration, depicted from 

 nature. 



Similar to the horntoad, these 

 tree lizards are harmless creatures 

 — their inside mouth parts sho^v- 

 ing only a row of very short ana 

 delicate grab teeth, \7ith which 

 they grab and masticate their in- 

 sect food — mostly moths, butter- 



climbers are very numercas 

 around the woods and our public 

 parks, especially Brackenridge 

 Park, and along driveways, where 

 they are most abundant where the 

 hackberry tree grows. Here lots 

 of them are occasionally encoun- 

 tered and can be approached quiti 

 closely. However, they usually 

 circle around the trunk, lifting 

 their head upward, and running 



Tree Lizakds After a Devilshorse-Insect, on Trunk of a Pecan Tree Trunk 



flies, beetles, spiders and other in- 

 sects. They are rarely seen on 

 the ground; but ocassionally, 

 when in search 'of food, they de- 

 scend from a tree — but hurriedly 

 climb the tree again when dis- 

 turbed. In summer time, up to 

 late in fall, these interesting tree 



or circling higher and higher untiJ 

 out of reach and safe in some hol- 

 low of the tree, or under some 

 loose bark. 



There exist various genera of 

 these slender, dark and light gray 

 lizards, and whilst most of them 

 are tree animals, there are other 



