572 



The Living Animals of the World 



Photo by W. SavilL-Kcil, F.Z.S.] [.Milfunl-o.i-Sa 



A GROUP OP MOUN'TAIX-DEYILS OF CEXTRAL AUSTRALIA. 

 Tlie spines of these lizarils aie so sharp that they "ill jneice a teiidei hand. 



the heloderm is the arid, sandy, 

 and stony region on the western 

 side of the Cordillera mountain- 

 range. It is at the same time 

 said to be rarely seen in those 

 parts e.xeept during the rainy 

 season, and also to be for the 

 most part nocturnal in its habits. 

 The family group of the 

 jNIoxiTuRS includes the largest 

 of existing lizards, notably the 

 semi-aquatic form common to 

 North Australia and the Malay 

 Peninsula and adjacent islands, 

 which attains a length of 8 or 

 10 feet, and is not infrequently 

 mistaken, as it rushes, on being 

 disturbed, through the reeds and 

 other rank herbage to the 

 ' water, for a young crocodile. 

 An exceedingly fine and well set-up example of these huge water-monitors, shot by Captain 

 Stanley Flower in the neighbourhood of Singapore, is placed in the Keptile Gallery of the 

 Natural History Museum. 



Another species, indigenous to the Southern Australian States, and having essentially 

 arboreal habits, commonly attains to a length of 5 or 6 feet. The skin of one example of 

 this species, obtained for the writer from the eucalyptus forests in Crippsland, Victoria, measures 

 no less than 7 feet long. With reference to the elegant lace-like pattern of its skin-markings, 

 this species is frequently associated with the suggestive title of the L.\CE-liz.ard. Among the 

 more illiterate settlers it is generally known as a Gooana, the name being obviously a corruption 

 of Iguana, and being, as a matter of fact, applied promiscuously, and in all cases incorrectly, 

 to a number of the larger Australian lizards. 



All the members of the Monitor Trilie are inveterate egg-eaters. An Egyptian species, the 

 Nile ^Monitor, renders service to humanity through the gratification of this propensity in seeking 

 out and devouring the eggs of the crocodile. The larger water-monitor of the North Australian 

 and ]Malay regions has been reported to 



the writer to lie particularly partial to . «' . ■ ., 



the eggs of the turtle, digging them out 

 of the sand in which the parent deposits 

 them, and de.stroying tliem wholesale. The 

 more strictly arboreal Southern Australian 

 sjiecies preys to a very large extent on 

 birds' eggs, climbing to the holes in 

 the trunks and branches in which so 

 many Au.^tralian birds build their nests, 

 and not infrequently cai>turing and 

 devouring also the jjarent liirds and 

 young. In the "bush" settlements 

 this monitor is notorious for its depre- 

 dations among the hen-roost.s. botli eggs 



and young chickens falling victims to ' n„toby u: sa^ucKcu, f.z ,.^ 

 Its m.sat,able appetite. It is con.se- hohn-ed toad. 



quently regarded with but scant favour a sim.y lizard, somewhat resemW.ng the Australian monntam-devil. 



[Mil/ord-oii-Sca. 



