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Show 470 GALAPAGOS .ARCHIPELAGO. Oct. 1835. They inhabit burrows; which they sometimes excavate between fragments of lava, but more generally on level patches of the soft volcanic sandstone. The holes do not appear to be very deep, and they enter the ground at a small angle; so that when walking over these lizard warrens, the soil is constantly giving way, much to the annoyance of the tired walker. This animal when excavating its burrow, alternately works the opposite sides of its body. One front leg for a short time scratches up the soil, and throws it towards the hind foot, which is well placed so as to heave it beyond the mouth of the hole. This side of the body being tired, the other takes up the task, and so on alternately. I watched one for a long time, till half its body was buried; I then walked up and pulled it by the tail; at this it was greatly astonished, and soon shu:ffied up to see what was the matter; and then stared me in the face, as much as to say, "What made you pull my tail ?" They feed by day, and do not wander far from their burrows ; and if frightened they rush to them with a most awkward gait. Except when running down hill, they cannot move very fast; which appears chiefly owing to the lateral position of their legs. They are not at all timorous : when attentively watching any one, they curl their tails, and raising themselves on their front legs, nod their heads vertically, with a quick movement, and try to look very fierce : but in reality they are not at all so ; if one just stamps the ground, down go their tails, and off they shu:ffie as quickly as they can. I have frequently observed small muscivorous lizards, when watching any thing, nod their heads in precisely the same manner; but I do not at all know for what purpose. If this Amblyrhyncus is held, and plagued with a stick, it will bite it very severely ; but I caught many by the tail, and they never tried to bite me. If two are placed on the ground and held together, they will fight and bite each other till blood·is drawn. The individuals (and they are the greater number) which inhabit the lower country, can scarcely taste a drop of water Oct. 1835. 'I'ERRESTRIAL .AMBLYRH YNCUS. 471 throughout the year; but they consume much of the succulent cactus, .the branches of which are occasionally broken off by the wmd. I have sometimes thrown a piece to two or three. when t.ogether; and it was amusing enough to see each trytng to Sieze and carry it away in its mouth, like so many hungry dogs ':ith a bone. They eat very deliberately, but do not chew their food. The little birds are aware how harmless these creatures are: I have seen one of the thickb. ill.e d finches picking at one end of a piece of cactM W( hW' h IS ~n req~est among all the animals of the lower region), ';h1lst .a hz~rd was eating at the other; and afterwards the httle bird With the utmost indifference hopped on the back of the reptile. I opened the stomachs of several, and found them full of vege~able fibres.' and leaves of different trees, especially of a speCie.s of acaCI~. In the ~pper region they live chiefly on the acid and astnngent berries of the guayavita, under which trees I have seen these lizards and the huge tortoises feeding together. To obtai.n ~he acacia-leaves, they crawl up the low st~nted trees ~ and It IS not uncommon to see one or a pair quietly browsmg, whilst seated on a branch several feet above the ground. The meat of these an~mals when cooked is white, and by those whose stomachs nse above all prejudices, it is relished as very good food. Humboldt has remarked that in intertropical South A~er~ca, all lizards which inhabit dry regions are esteeme~ deh?~Cies for the table. The inhabitants say, that those mhabitmg the damp region drink water, but that the others do not travel up for it from the sterile country like the tortoises. At the time of our visit, the females had within their bodies numerous large elongated eggs. These they lay in their burrows, and the inhabitants seek them for food. These two species of Amblyrhyncus agree, as I have alre~dy stated, in general structure, and in many of their habits. Neither have that rapid movement, so characteristic of true Lacerta and Iguana. They are both herbivorous, |