VI 
FOOD IN THE TROPICS 
ANIMALS, BIRDS, ETC. 
The matter of food is one that will be extremely important. 
If, as previously suggested, you have made contact with the 
natives you will have little to worry about. However, it may 
be some time before you come to a settlement or meet up with 
any of the local inhabitants, and in that case you may be forced 
to make out the best that you can. It may not be pleasant to 
contemplate, but in an emergency you will find that many un- 
conventional creatures are edible and are, as a matter of fact, 
eaten by the people of the country. Among them are lizards 
and snakes. The meat from the hind quarters and tail of the 
lizard is the be'st. It is somewhat dry and stringy but is very 
much like the white meat from chicken. No lizard is poisonous, 
except the North American Gila monster and the beaded lizard 
of Mexico, although the larger ones have good biting teeth and 
a person should take care not to be bitten by them. All snakes 
are edible, but they are not found as frequently as might be 
expected. They also taste much like the white meat of chicken, 
although the flesh may be a bit stringy and slightly salty flavored. 
In using snakes be sure that the head is cut off immediately. It 
is dangerous to hold some species by the back of the head as they 
have the ability to throw their jaws out of joint and reach around 
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