and the limbs of acacia trees. Sometimes the iguana climbs trees to feed. 
The seeds in the droppings of these lizards help in spreading plant life. 
Like the marine iguanas, they live in peace with their neighbors, often 
sharing their vegetable food with a bird or tortoise. Only in captivity do 
they grow savage and fight among themselves. 
Land iguanas dig burrows in old lava or eroded limestone, scraping 
lackadaisically with one paw while the other rests. 
RHINOCEROS IGUANA 
The dark brown rhinoceros iguana of Haiti and Puerto Rico is so-called 
because of the three blunt protuberances on its snout, the largest attaining 
a length of only three-eighths of one inch. With its massive head, its hanging 
throat pouch, its bulging jaws and the loose folds of skin covering its shoul¬ 
ders and neck, it looks like a fantastic reconstruction of some prehistoric 
reptile. These creatures will often squat perfectly motionless on their hind 
quarters, remaining for hours in an attitude of timeless impassivity. They 
attain a length of four and one-half feet. 
The iguana is a great fighter, swishing its powerful spiny tail, gnash¬ 
ing its teeth and snatching with its claws. If approached by an inexperienced 
human it can inflict as much damage as a wildcat, but if grasped by the 
hind legs and the back of its neck, it is powerless. The rhinoceros iguana 
is a favored item among lizard-lovers in the United States, bringing as 
much as fifty dollars a head. It is hunted with the aid of dogs specially 
trained for the purpose. 
In captivity the rhinoceros iguana gradually grows tame until it eats 
quietly out of its keeper’s hand. It is especially fond of young chickens, 
which it kills by shaking them about with its jaws. If the chicken is too 
large to swallow whole, it will be shaken into chunks. Rats, bits of beef, 
bananas, berries, lettuce and celery are also appreciated. 
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