. Animate creation : popular edition of "Our living world" : a natural history. Zoology; Zoology. 44 THE HELODERMA HORRIDUM. Tlie teeth of this species are strong, and the reptile can bite witli gi-eat force. It is a bold and determined combatant when attacked, and if it succeeds in grasping a foe, retains its hold with the pertinacity of the bulldog. The flesh of the Teguexin is eaten, and thought to be excellent. According to Azara, the skin of its tail, when sejoarated into rings, is con- sidered to be a safeguard against paralysis, and worn for that i)urpose, as well as to remove
. Animate creation : popular edition of "Our living world" : a natural history. Zoology; Zoology. 44 THE HELODERMA HORRIDUM. Tlie teeth of this species are strong, and the reptile can bite witli gi-eat force. It is a bold and determined combatant when attacked, and if it succeeds in grasping a foe, retains its hold with the pertinacity of the bulldog. The flesh of the Teguexin is eaten, and thought to be excellent. According to Azara, the skin of its tail, when sejoarated into rings, is con- sidered to be a safeguard against paralysis, and worn for that i)urpose, as well as to remove tumors, another healing power which it is supposed to possess. The general coloring of the Teguexin is as follows : The upper 2)arts are deep black, witii bold mottlings of yellow or green. On tlie uppei' part of each side there are two series of wliite spots, and the imder parts are mostly yellow, with black bands. The coloring is, how- ever, extremely variable. The curious little Ameiva, which has just been mentioned as falling a victim to the previous species, is closely allied to the Teguexin. It is rather a pretty Lizard, with a very long whip-lils;e tail, and i:)eculiarly elongated toes on the hinder feet. The long tail is covered with a series of scales, arranged in rings, of which about one hundred and twenty have been counted in a perfect specimen. Tlie color of the Ameiva is dark olive, speckled with black on the nape of the neck and front of the back. On the sides are rows or bands of white spots edged with black, from which peculiarity it is sometimes called the Spotted Lizard. There are many species of Ameiva, inhabiting either Central America, or the West Indian yf.^..^^.:t:r --: CRUST IXZhSM.—Uauderma honidain. The very odd-looking creature, scientifically termed Heloderma Tiorridum, which is seen in the engraving, is an inhabitant of Mexico, where the natives call it Tola-chini. Though looking somewhat like an Ameiva, it forms a separate family, of
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Keywords: ., bookauthorbr, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectzoology
