414 
GALAPAGOS ARCHIPELAGO 
CHAP. 
weighed between ten and fifteen pounds. In their movements 
they are lazy and half torpid. When not frightened, they 
slowly crawl along with their tails and bellies dragging on the 
ground. They often stop, and doze for a minute or two, with 
closed eyes and hind legs spread out on the parched soil. 
They inhabit burrows which they sometimes make between 
fragments of lava, but more generally on level patches of the 
soft sandstone-like tuff. The holes do not appear to be very 
deep, and they enter the ground at a small angle ; so that 
when walking over these lizard-warrens, the soil is constantly 
giving way, much to the annoyance of the tired walker. This 
animal, when making its burrow, works alternately the opposite 
sides of its body. One front leg for a short time scratches up 
the soil, and throws it towards the hind foot, which is well 
placed so as to heave it beyond the mouth of the hole. That 
side of the body being tired, the other takes up the task, and 
so on alternately. I watched one for a long time, till half its 
body was buried ; I then walked up and pulled it by the tail ; 
at this it was greatly astonished, and soon shuffled up to see 
what was the matter ; and then stared me in the face, as much 
as to say, “ What made you pull my tail ? ” 
They feed by day, and do not wander far from their 
burrows ; if frightened, they rush to them with a most 
awkward gait. Except when running down hill, they cannot 
move very fast, apparently from the lateral position of their 
legs. They are not at all timorous : when attentively watch¬ 
ing any one, they curl their tails, and, raising themselves on 
their front legs, nod their heads vertically, with a quick move¬ 
ment, and try to look very fierce ; but in reality they are not 
at all so ; if one just stamps on the ground, down go their 
tails, and off they shuffle as quickly as they can. I have 
frequently observed small fly-eating lizards, when watching 
anything, nod their heads in precisely the same manner ; but 
I do not at all know for what purpose. If this Amblyrhynchus 
is held and plagued with a stick, it will bite it very severely ; 
but I caught many by the tail, and they never tried to bite 
me. If two are placed on the ground and held together, they 
will fight, and bite each other till blood is drawn. 
The individuals, and they are the greater number, which 
inhabit the lower country, can scarcely taste a drop of water 
