. Cassell's natural history. Animals; Animal behavior. THE WUANAfi. Peninsula. It is commonly observed during the day in the branches of trees overhanging rivers, preyiijg on 'oii-ds and their eggs, and on smaller Lizards, and when disturbed it throws itself from a considerable height into the water, and it will defend itself courageously with teeth, claws, and strokes of the tail. The lowest castes of Hindoos capture these Lizards by digging them out of their burrows on the banks of rivers, for the sake of their flesh, which is greatly relished by these people. Some individuals attain to near
. Cassell's natural history. Animals; Animal behavior. THE WUANAfi. Peninsula. It is commonly observed during the day in the branches of trees overhanging rivers, preyiijg on 'oii-ds and their eggs, and on smaller Lizards, and when disturbed it throws itself from a considerable height into the water, and it will defend itself courageously with teeth, claws, and strokes of the tail. The lowest castes of Hindoos capture these Lizards by digging them out of their burrows on the banks of rivers, for the sake of their flesh, which is greatly relished by these people. Some individuals attain to nearly seven feet in length. A Mo(iitor, with bright-yellow spots covering five or six scales, and dotted over the whole body, is found in New Guinea and the Darnley Islands,* and a closely allied genus (Hydrosaurus), in which the nostrils are placed at the extremity of the snout, is represented there also. The Gigantic Lace-Lizard f and its varieties are common examples of Australian kinds. The other section of this group of Monitors, with a single nasal bone, is represented by the very ugly Lizard called Helodenna horridum, of Mexico. It has rather a flat head covered with numei'ous great convex polygonal plates, which give it a very tubercular appearance. The Heloderma, reaching to three feet and a few inches in length, is called Esoorpion by the natives, and moves chiefly by night. Dissections have shown that Heloderma has poison glands and teeth adapted to bite and introduce the poison. Like most of its order, it is very tenacious of life, and the muscles move long after decapitation, and chloroform is long in killing it. THE SUB-ORDER CRASSILINGUES.—THE SHORT-TONGUED LIZARDS. These Lizards have a short, thick, and fleshy tongue, slightly notched in front and not protractile. There are four limbs present, and their digits are placed in front of the ankle and wrist. Usually the eye is protected by lids, and the tympanic membrane is free. They have, with the exception of one f
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