. The American natural history; a foundation of useful knowledge of the higher animals of North America. Natural history. THE GILA MONSTER 335 purposes to a larger number of school pupils than any other lizard known to the author. The colors of this creature vary with age to an extent that is apt to be ^'ery confusing. Observe the programme: During the first year the body is black, with bright yellow stripes, and the tail is brilliant blue. In the second, the tail is slaty gray, and the black of the body is less intense. In the third, the body becomes brownish, and the stripes are indistinct.
. The American natural history; a foundation of useful knowledge of the higher animals of North America. Natural history. THE GILA MONSTER 335 purposes to a larger number of school pupils than any other lizard known to the author. The colors of this creature vary with age to an extent that is apt to be ^'ery confusing. Observe the programme: During the first year the body is black, with bright yellow stripes, and the tail is brilliant blue. In the second, the tail is slaty gray, and the black of the body is less intense. In the third, the body becomes brownish, and the stripes are indistinct. In the fourth, and thereafter, the body is brown, the head vermilion, and the stripes have disap- peared. The length of a large specimen is about eight inches. All the small lizards and skinks are insect- eaters, and in captivity thrive best upon meal- worms and insects generalh^ Their cjuickness of movement is almost beyond belief, and even with a long-handled net it is very difficult to capture one alive and unhurt. The Ring-Necked Lizard,' which should be called the Kangaroo-Lizard, represents a group cjuite different from the skinks, and also nearer to the iguanas. It is a creature of the canyons, deserts and dry mountains of the Southwest, from Texas to southeastern California, and northward into Utah and Nevada. It is often found on mountains up to .5,000 and even 6,000 feet. (]\Ierriam.) This is a plump-bodied creature, and its colors vary to an extent that is apt to create confusion. It is either dark green or bluish above, and the sides, back and thighs are co^'ered with light spots. The under surface is yellowish-white, sometimes tinged wth pale green. This lizard derives its name irom two bands of black which stretch across the shoulders between the fore- legs. The most interesting feature about it appears never to have been observed and recorded until Mr. Barnum Brown sent several specimens to the Zoological Park. When one was liberated in a large sanded cage, it ro
Size: 1713px × 1459px
Photo credit: © Central Historic Books / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookp, booksubjectnaturalhistory
