EGG-STEALING LIZARDS

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 30, 4 August 1923, Page 14

EGG-STEALING LIZARDS

WITH TAILS LIKE WHIPS.

Two notorious egg-stealers have recently arrived at the London Zoo, in the form of a pair of Australian lace mon. itors, Representatives of the largest and fiercest family of lizards, they measure nearly sft. long, though their tempf,™ "f,, remakadly short, writes "iV-i m ™ the ■ London Daily Chronicle." Had it ers are remarkably short, writes nved, the new-comers—the only two of their species in the Gardens—would have been handled very cautiously, for when lively they can convert their tails into a veritable stock-whip f or purposes of

The partiality of the lace monitor for eggs is only too well known to the Australian settlers, whose henroosts are commonly robbed by the roptiles. lor this reason the poultry farmers frequently organise "guana hunts" tor the special purpose of destroying the lizards which, when surprised, take to the. trees. It is said that if no tree ue Handy, a cornered monitor, in its eagerness to get aloft, will "make the best of a bad job" by clambering up the nearest hunter!

The lace monitors at the "Zoo " feed almost exclusively on eggs, devouring a half-dozen or more, whole, at a time. fortunately they are not particular as to whether the eggs are "new laid " tarm, •fresh." "shop," or of any of übl sories which P f:l'Plex the