82 
THE RED-THROATED A NO LIS. 
and during the whole summer and early autumn these pretty Lizards may be seen amicably 
associating together. They are fond of basking in the sun, and will then dilate their dewlaps, 
at the same time assuming the most brilliant emerald hues. 
The color of this reptile is extremely variable, altering even in the same individual 
according to the season of the year, the temperature, the health, or even the present state 
of the creature’s temper. Generally the whole upper surface is beautiful golden green, and 
the abdomen white, with a tinge of green. The dewlap, or throat-pouch, is white, with a few 
little spots and five bars of red, which color, when the pouch is inflated, spreads over its 
whole surface. The total length of this reptile is, according to the figure in our illustration, 
nearly seven inches. 
The Greeh Lizard (. Anolis principalis ), also called Chameleox, is an attractive creat- 
ure, quite in contrast to the latter-named. It is of very graceful shape and movements, and 
is a beautiful green in color. It inhabits along the Gulf and Atlantic shores southward ; 
length, six to eight inches. 
The second species, the Red-throated Aholis, is a native of America and the neighbor- 
ing isles. 
It is a brisk and lively little creature, darting about the ground, over rocks, among the 
branches, or upon the leaves, with equal address. It is, perhaps, a little too fond of fighting, 
and terribly apt to quarrel with others of its own kind. Those who have witnessed a combat 
between two of these Lizards say that it is remarkable for ferocity, courage, and endurance. 
They face each other with expanded throats and glaring eyes, their skin changing its lustrous 
coloring, and their whole being instinct with fury. 
As during each combat one or two females are generally spectators of the fight, it is prob- 
able they may be the cause of war, and that the victor may receive his reward from one of the 
female witnesses of his prowess. So furious do they become, that the conqueror is said to 
devour the vanquished, who, however, sometimes runs away as fast as he can, and escapes 
with the loss of his tail, which is left writhing in the victor’s mouth and soon swallowed. 
Those who have thus lost their tails seem to be greatly affected by the mutilation, and are 
timid and languishing afterwards. 
The inflated throat part of the angry animal has a very curious effect, as it becomes of a 
bright cherry-red, due probably to the excited state of the creature. 
Mr. Bell, in his work on reptiles, mentions a curious anecdote of one of these Lizards 
which was worsted in combat with a common garden-spider. “The activity of the smaller 
insectivorous Lizards, when in pursuit of their food, is exceedingly curious and interesting. 
They watch with all the caution of a cat, and dart upon their prey with the quickness of 
lightning. 
“In the act of seizing their food, however, they must necessarily be exposed to some 
danger from the noxious qualities of the insects which they indiscriminately attack. The 
following fact would seem to indicate that, even in our own temperate climate, an insect not 
generally recognized as poisonous may inflict a fatal injury on its saurian enemy. 
“ Some years since, I had in my possession two living specimens of the beautiful little 
green Anolis of the West Indies, a Lizard about the size of our smallest species. I was in the 
habit of feeding them with flies and other insects ; and, having one day placed in the cage 
with them a very large garden-spider (. Epeira diadema ), one of the Lizards darted at it, but 
seized it only by the leg. The spider instantly ran round and round the creature’s mouth, 
weaving a very thick web round both jaws, and then gave it a severe bite on the lip, just as 
this species of spider usually does with any large insect which it has taken. The Lizard was 
greatly distressed ; and I removed the spider and rubbed off the web, the confinement of which 
appeared to give it great annoyance, but in a few days it died, though previously in as perfect 
health as its companion, which lived for a long time afterwards.” 
With regard to the injury produced by the bite of the spider, I can say from personal 
experience that even to human beings, especially those who are tender-skinned, the bite of the 
