84 WILD NEIGHBORS CHAP. 
ground-lizard of the Southern States (Oligosoma 
laterale), as described by Mr. H. C. Bumpus and 
others : 
“If captured,—a by no means easy task, — 
they make no violent effort to escape, but, with a 
most droll expression, they eye their captor; soon 
winning his confidence, but betraying it at the 
most unexpected moment, for with a quick strug. 
gle the tail is dropped off, and, before one has 
recovered from his surprise, no lizard is to be seen, 
the tail only remaining, which for some little time 
twists about with as much vigor as when attached 
to its owner. 
“The self-mutilation of the lizard offers a re. 
markable instance of protection,’ comments Mr. 
Bumpus. “It will be seen that the animal, being 
comparatively slow of foot, cannot ordinarily seek 
safety in flight, and having no organs of defence, 
it, on being attacked, breaks off a portion of its 
tail, which, still alive and twisting about by reflex 
action, attracts the attention of the enemy, and 
the lizard, unencumbered and unnoticed, glides 
into some crevice and is safe. 
“The muscles of the tail are so arranged that 
they, by contraction, close over the place of 
amputation, and bleeding is prevented. From 
the thus blunted appendage a new rudiment 
soon appears, which, in a short time, replaces the 
lost part.” 
Now this is all matter of fact, and true of several 
