REPTILES... 
R EPTILES are widely distributed 
over the tropical, sub-tropical 
and temperate regions of the world— 
about 5,000 species being known. 
These are divided into five Orders 
or groups : alligators, - crocodiles, 
etc. ; lizards and chameleons ; 
snakes ; tortoises and turtles ; and 
finally, the remarkable tuatera, a 
lizard-like reptile now only found 
on a few islands near the north 
coast of New Zealand and which is 
nearing extinction. 
Reptiles are cold-blooded — their 
body temperature being approx¬ 
imately the same as the surrounding 
atmosphere. Most of the specimens 
kept in the Reptile House require 
artificial heating all the year round 
if they are to thrive. The heat is usually maintained between 8o° and 85°F. 
The most important reptiles in the whole collection are the two poisonous lizards 
exhibited here for the first time. The more common of the two is the gila monster 
(pronounced “ hee-la ”) from the States of Utah, Arizona and New Mexico, U.S.A. 
This lizard is salmon-pink and deep brown in colour and is covered with minute wart-like 
tubercles which suggest small coloured beads. Its companion, the Mexican beaded 
lizard, is the first of its kind ever to be exhibited in Great Britain. As its name suggests, 
this lizard comes from the arid regions of Mexico and is also found in Central America. 
It is chiefly black in colour with yellow blotches. 
Other curious lizards are the chameleons, which must rank among the most grotesque of 
creatures living to-day. There are many different species occurring in Spain, Africa, 
Madagascar and India. Some chameleons have helmet-like casques on the head, others 
have horns ; all have high compressed bodies and prehensile tails. The eyes are capable 
of independent 
motion so that 
they can be 
“ swivelled ” in 
different direc¬ 
tions to each 
other. Another 
strange feature 
is the tongue. 
This normally 
lies curled up in 
the mouth, but 
when the reptile 
observes its prey 
—a fly, beetle, 
or perhaps a 
spider—the 
mouth slowly 
opens and the 
tongue shoots 
out with light¬ 
ning rapidity and 
gathers up the 
succulent mor¬ 
sel. Contrary to 
popular belief, 
chameleons are 
limited in their 
power of chang¬ 
ing colour, al¬ 
though most can 
Photo by Kemsley Newspapers 
EGG-EATING SNAKE WITH A SPARROW’S EGG 
WHICH IT CAN SWALLOW WHOLE 
Photo by Kemsley Newspapers 
BOA 
Twenty-four 
Photo by T. Middleton , Jnr. 
THE GILA MONSTER—A POISONOUS LIZARD 
assume varying shades of green, yellow, grey or brown, while some have definite markings. 
Of all the reptiles, snakes seem to interest the visitor most of all although the majority will 
confess that they can only regard them with fear and loathing. Most of this fear is due to 
a lack of knowledge of the ways of the serpent and when this has been carefully explained 
it is usually realised that the snake is not a “ horrid, slimy creature 55 after all ! Our 
present collection of snakes includes both the giant constrictors and also many poisonous 
and non-poisonous species. 
The largest snakes known to-day are the reticulated pythons of the Malay Archipelago 
and the anacondas or water boas of the great river systems of north-east South America. 
Of the two the reticulated python is probably the larger—the record skin being nearly 
33 feet in length. The large reticulated python exhibited here is approximately 24 feet 
in length. Other pythons shown include the African rock python, the Indian rock 
pythons (both light and dark phases), the Australian diamond and carpet pythons and the 
West African royal, the smallest of the pythons. 
Two anacondas are shown and visitors will probably be interested to know that one of 
the specimens refused food for 
twenty-one months and was 
finally forced to swallow food. 
All our snakes are given freshly 
killed mammals and birds or 
frogs and fish. 
At the moment of writing this 
Guide the Reptile House is 
undergoing certain structural 
alterations which, when fin¬ 
ished, will allow new floor pools 
for the crocodiles and alli¬ 
gators. Some of these reptiles 
are temporary housed in the 
Paddock House. 
Other reptiles will be found in 
other sections of the Zoo. The 
giant tortoise shares an en¬ 
closure with the peafowl and 
kangaroos during the summer 
months. When last weighed 
this tortoise turned the scales 
at almost three-hundred 
pounds. Hardy European 
reptiles are exhibited on the 
open-air Reptilium (adjacent 
to the Paddock House), and 
are most in evidence on warm, Photo by V. Evans 
SUnny days. “HERCULES “ THE GIANT TORTOISE 
Twenty-five 
