Lizards themselves are sought as prey by all sort of carnivorous beasts, birds and reptiles,. in avoiding which they must rely mainly on their alertness and agility in dodging or out running the foe. Most of them are conspicu-• ously colored, and many exhibit as great gaudi ness as do tropical birds, so that this class of animals would seem to have been denied any benefit that might accrue from ((concealing coloration" as ordinarily understood. One re-. markable peculiarity of lacertilian structure, however, is perhaps protective, although the, expedient is rather a costly. one, namely,. the ability of most lizards to part easily with the tail. This is the part of the lizard mdst 'likely, to be snapped at by a Captor, the more so as it is commonly held aloft when its owner runs,. and breaking off easily enables the remainder of the lizard to go on running, while the baf-• fled foe contemplates his useless booty. new tail speedily replaces the lost member,: but it is never quite as good as the, original one. Some small lizards, when staitled, cast off their tails with a jerk before they are touched; on the other hand, the big monitors indulge in no such sacrifice, but utilize their long and strong tails as powerful whip-like.
weapons of defense.
Reproduction in lizards as a rule is by a small number of eggs laid in damn earth, but a few, as the skinks, bring furth young alive. Lizards are of service to mankind in de stroying insects and other vermin, and in the tropics are welcomed in native houses for that reason. The water monitor is a valuable curb on crocodiles, by devouring their eggs young. Many lizards furnish good human food. especially the larger iguanas, that are a regular part of the aboriginal diet in South America, as are other lizards among the Blackfellows of Australia. Certain species also make amus ing pets. Consult, besides general works, Ga dow, 'Amphibia and Reptiles' (New York 1901) • Pycraft, 'Story of Reptile (Lon-• don 1605) Ditmars, 'The Reptile Book' (New' York 1907) ; Boulenger, 'Reptiles and Batra-' (London 1914). •