x8o 



Marvels of the Universe 



the case with the great majority of the members of the Iguana group. The depression is, however, 

 carried to a very unusual degree in the Spinv Lizard and the Horned Toads, and is in accordance 

 with their habit of squatting close down on the ground. 



If a Spin\' Lizard be placed in a saucer of water, the fluid will be rapidl}- absorbed by the skin. 

 This is very remarkable in a creature inhabiting arid districts, in which it would be natural to 

 suppose that there was some special means to prevent the fluid; of the bodj? from drying up. 



IBti A. Tiridle. 



THE ILLUMINATED ANGLER. 



Fins and tail are enormously developed in this fish, but the mouth, though 



still immense in its sape. hy comparison 

 ^vith the body, is normal in shape and position. The creature seems to be well adapted for pursuit, and to have abandoned the 

 lurking habit altogether. 



DEEP-SE.\ FISH 



BY FR.=^NK T. BULLEN, F.R.G.S. 



Considerable trepidation must be felt by anj'one who approaches the task of a popular description 

 of the exceedingly strange fish depicted in the accompanying drawings. For several reasons, chief 

 among which are (i) they have no popular names, the titles given them by their discoverers usualh- 

 running into nine syllables of mixed Greek and Latin, and (2) that those specimens which have been 

 dragged to the surface from the darkling depths where they lurk can hardly be considered repre- 

 sentative. In fact, except to a favoured few they are and must remain unknown from the veiy 

 nature of the case. 



Few among us will consider this a hardship when we contemplate their weird and gloomy shapes, 

 and most of us will hope that the few diminutive specimens that have been secured in the most 

 accidental manner are full sized — we hardly like to think of such awful creatures as growing big. But 



