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LIFE, IN ITS HIGHER FORMS, 



In the first place, the head is enormous, and, being three- 

 sided, with projecting points and angles, makes a suffi- 

 ciently uncouth visage; but the eyes which illuminate 

 this notable head-piece must, indeed, to borrow for the 

 nonce the phraseology of Barnum, " be seen to be appre- 

 ciated." There is on each side an immense eye-ball, full 

 and prominent, but covered with the common shagreened 

 skin of the head, except at the very centre, where there 

 is a minute aperture, corresponding to the pupil. These 

 great punctured eye-balls roll about hither and thither, 

 but with no symmetry. You cannot tell whether the 

 creature is looking at you or not; he seems to be taking 

 what may be called a general view of things ; — looking at 

 nothing in particular, or rather, to save time, looking at 

 several things at once. Perhaps both eyes are gazing 

 upwards at your face ; a leaf quivers behind his head, and 

 in a moment one eye turns round toward the object, while 

 the other retains its upward gaze : presently a fly appears ; 

 one eye rapidly and interestedly follows all its movements, 

 while the other leisurely glances hither and thither, or re- 

 mains steady. Accustomed as we are to see in almost all 

 animals the two eyes move in unison, this want of sym- 

 pathy produces an effect most singular and even ludicrous. 



The Lizards are not in all cases the little, leaping, timid, 

 playful creatures that we commonly associate with the 

 name. The aquatic Monitors (Varanidce) of both con- 

 tinents are truly formidable. M. Leschenault de Latour 

 saw one attack a young stag as it attempted to swim 

 across a river, striving hard to drown it. The deer was 

 too active on this occasion, but the same zoologist found 

 the thigh-bone of a sheep in the stomach of one that he 



