Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 244, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 October 1919 — REPTILES AT HOME IN SAND [ARTICLE]

REPTILES AT HOME IN SAND

Naturalist Makes Interesting Report of Habits of Small Dwellers of the Desert. Quaint and curious arc the ways of shiiic desert, as revealed by the itimous_natufaiM L.Canip, who has been studying them in the Colorado desert. lie Cells of some reptiles, the burrowing snake sonora, the gridiron-tailed lizard, thA» ocellated sand lizard, and the desert “horned toad," which actually swim into the loose sand by the strong lateral movements of their heads. The gridirontailed lizard is very swift and agHe, pnd when chased will race over the sand at fifteen miles an hour. Most of the desert reptiles of Colorado are colored like their surroundings, and are difficult to detect. Others can change their colors to suit tlielr surroundings, while not- a few of tlie desert lizards are abltno part with tneir tails very readily when they are seized. There is 4^ HW^.4ft -tbe--w«es--ef desert-tortoises.-When one meets another, unless both nee—males,--'when—a —fight invariatnytakes place, each nods Its head rapidly up-anil dmm as tii<>ugh in saluattion, anil sometimes noses are touched as they pass. ;