DRAGONS

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 3717, 2 November 1926, Page 7

DRAGONS

MONSTERS IN THE EAST INDIES Excitement and more often incredulity have been caused by rumors ol Llie existence of “dragons’’ in the Dutch East Jndie-s (says a writer in liio London ‘Times ’). But there is a basis, and a very substantial basis, of truth in these reports, in past geological periods lizards of 20ft and :}()lt in length existed, and their smaller descendants are alive to-day. The “ Kabra Goya ” of Ceylon and the Banded Monitor of the East Indies both reach Oft in length, and a specimen of the latter, 7ft 7in long, now resides in the tortoise house in the Zoological Gardens at Regent's Park.

But the Banded Monitor is insignificant compared to the giant lizard of the same genus, which lias been known toa few zoologists and to a few Dutch officials and sportsmen since 1012. For many years rumors of a dragon which dwelt in caves in the interior of the island of Komodo, between the much larger islands of Flores and Sumbawu, in the Malay Archipelago, had been current. Those creatures were said to attain the length of 30ft, and to be extremely dangerous to man. Komodo is a useless island, very thinly inhabited, rocky and treeless. It is separated from the larger islands by two dangerous straits, through which the tides run twice daily with a speed that sometimes reaches eighteen knots. It has no good landing-places: consequently the dragons remained a traveller’s tale. But in 1912 the Dutch naturalist Onwens published in the journal ol tiie famous Botanical Gardens of Buiien/org, in Java, a modest account of a monstrous lizard reaching seven metres in length, which—should it prove to be a new species—he tentatively named Vara mis komodensis! Never was an amazing zoological discovery more unobtrusively announced. Onwcns’s story was a simple narration of facts. Two Dutchmen, one an official from Flores, had visited Komodo, had shot _ small dragons, and vouched for the existence of much larger specimens. A collector from Java had followed and killed one 9it in length, besides capturing two babies a little over 3ft long, which may have grown into the two eight-looters teen in captivity by Mr Alan Gobinim during his flight to Australia. The skin of a 7ft specimen was sent to tbe Natural History Museum at Leyden. The Great War diverted the minds of most zoologists irom reptilian dragons. Now the Komodo giants am threatened by an American scientific expedition. In the meantime more specimens have been shot, one oi 13H in length; 20-footers have been seen, and much information has been obtained as to the habits oi Varanus komodensis (Onwens). No giants have been shot, for the good reason that the natives take no risks in assisting 1 lie sportsman. One cannot blame them when one reads the evidence that these reptiles sometimes run down and kill the half-wild island ponies, and that, it they have been seen to light one another over dead wild boars, they at times go about in parties—or should one write “ assemblies ” in the case or such imposing beasts? Their long yellow tongues, the .scalloped crest on their croups and tails, and their habit ol retiring for the night into boles and eaves are all in accordance with the best medieval tradition as to the appearance and habits of dragons. Monitor lizards of the genus \ aranns of any size are dangerous. They use their powerful tails as a lashing weapon, and can easily break a man s legs with a blow. They are very swift, and deliver a terrific crushing bite, besides using their formidable claws. Most professional hunters who know these creatures prefer to catch crocodiles rather than these large lizards. .Monitors of 4ft ’n length will swallow several rats whole, and the strength and appetite of the Komodoj dragons make them formidable to big game. Their tenacity of life would seem to be considerable to judge from the following story;— During the Great War two German collectors in the East Indies visited Komodo in a Malay sailing boat, and were lucky enough to kill a sixteen-footer,,which they joylully conveyed, presumably lashed to a polo, to the shore. But “mite on board the lugger” the dragon revived, burst its bonds, capsized the boat, well-nigh drowned its crew, and vanished in the sea. The authorities at the Zoo and Hie South Kensington Natural History Museum are naturally awaiting Hie report of the American expedition with much interest. But it is to be Imped that the Dutch authorities will take steps to prevent dragon slaying becoming a pastime. These remarkable creatures are believed only to occur at Komodo, which is no larger than i.m Isle of Man, and at Labuan Batjo, ou the western extremity ol Mores. Komodo is apparently a useless island, except as a fishing base, and Ino dragons have, it is said, left the coast of late years. It would be a thousand pities if they were killed oil by sportsmen in .search oi the thrill which a really dangerous quarry provides.