Marvels of the Universe 



377 



THE AUSTRALIAX SPIXY LIZARD 



BY R. LYDEKKER 



Among the many strange and weird creatures whose home is Australia, none is more grotesque 

 or more suggestive of a nightmare than the eight-inch-iong reptile to which the colonists give the 

 name of Spinj' Lizard, or Thorny Devil. From the latter title, and still more from its scientific 

 designation of Moloch (borrowed from the evil Babylonian deity), the Spiny Lizard might naturally 

 be regarded as a reptile as much to be dreaded and avoided as a cobra or a rattlesnake. But, as a 

 matter of fact, it is perfectly harmless, inhabiting dry and sandy districts in Southern and Western 

 Australia, and subsisting apparently to a great extent on ants. What, then, it may well be asked, is 

 the object of this wonderful panoply of horny spines ,with which the entire upper surface of the 

 head, body, limbs and tail is so thickly covered ? But it must be remembered that spines may 

 serve just as well for defensive as for offensive purposes , and it seems quite reasonable to suppose 

 that those of the Spiny Lizard are designed to prevent any hungrj' bird from making a meal of 

 what may be a very toothsome creature. And in confirmation of this, it may be mentioned that, 

 according to the meagie accounts of their habits we possess, it is by no means uncommon to see 

 two or three of these lizards lazily sunning themselves on the top of a sand-dune, where, in spite 

 of a certain limited power of changing their colour to harmonize with their surroundings, they can 



nr,u, 1,1/1 [ ir. ,Vn vdle Kent . 



THE AUSTRALIAN SPINY LIZARD, 



The Spiny Lizard is a perfectly harmless reptile, inhabiting dry. sandy districts in Southern and Western Australia, where 

 it appears to live chiefly upon ants. The photograph shews it about one-third less than the natural size. Its spines are 

 defensive, not offensive. 



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