Southern world : journal of industry for the farm, home and workshop. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1882-18??, September 15, 1882, Image 7
THE SOUTHERN WORLD, SEPTEMBER 15, 1882,
7
like other good things, they are rare, and
not all over the land are these spots found,
where health, rich soil and beautiful scenery
are combined.
The two latter are more easily obtained
together than the former, which last is by
far the most important consideration of the
two.
Florida possesses a topographical feature
which is missing in every other State in the
Union, and it is a peculiarity which tends
greatly to secure the heulth of her people.
This is the fact that the pine lands, which,
we have seen, form the great bulk of all her
lands, are studded at short intervals with
these richer hammock lands. The pine
lands are comparatively poor, the hammocks
A Largo Lizard..
They who are accustomed to the small
lizards, so common in our moderate climate,
will be somewhat astonished to learn of a
lizard like that depicted in the engraving,
which grows to a length of live feet. And
there are other species which attain alengtb
of even six feet. It is only in hot climates
that the lizards, in common with all other
reptiles, can grow to such great size; for
being cold in themselves, they need the
greatest possible heat to enable them to de
velop to perfection. No matter what its
size may be, however, the lizard is always
inoffensive and usually very timid. The
Teju or Monitor Lizard, which is so well
pictured in the engraving, will, when driven
delights to make its home under the great
roots of the massive trees, so plentiful in
the rich lands of South America. It is
really a land animal, but nevertheless is a
swift swimmer, and can remain under water
a surprising long time.
An Inexperienced person might, upon see
ing it for the first time, mistake it for a
species of alligator. This mistake might be
the more easily made were it first seen, as in
the engraving, emerging from the water. A
very superficial comparison of it with the
alligator will be sufficient, however, to show
a marked difference between the two. Its
head is small in fact, and absolutely tiny in
comparison with that of the alligator, which
is of hideously great size. The alligator is
their eggs in a warm spot, where the beat
from the sun, supplemented by the heat
produced by decomposing leaves, will hatch
out their young. The Teju make it his bus
iness to find these spots, and feast upon the
eggs deposited there.
It is a generally accepted story that the
Teju is such a determined enemy of the al
ligator that it will always warn human be
ings of the approach of one of these rapa
cious monsters. The same story is told of a
similar lizard on the banks of the Nile, and
consequently the name of monitory lizard
has been given this species. The story is no
more than a fable, for many recent travelers
have borne witness that on frequent occa
sions when such warning would have been
A LARGE LIZARD.
rich; the pine lands are healthy, the ham
mocks the reverse. Now, as the naughty,
slangy boys say—“what is a fellow to do ?”
The question is easily settled; get some
hammock land, if you want it, and cultivate
your trees there, then get a few acres of pine
land a mile or two away, and cultivate your
family there. This plan disposes of the
trouble for those who are not satisfied to
8tart their groves on pine land; no doubt
the trees will grow faster for the first few
years without fertilizers, but by and by-
well, we shall have more to say about that
in our next paper.
True treasure often costs toil and tears.
to a defense, make good use of the weapons
furnished it by nature. The mouth, al
though not large, is garnished with strong,
sharp teeth, which have been known to
pierce both boot and foot of a too bold
hunter who had pressed a retreating Teju
too hard. Its tail, too, is a most effective
weapon, as the broken ribs of many an inex
perienced dog will testify. It will not be
the first to give offense, however, and much
prefers escaping quietly, when possible.
Unfortuately for it, the flesh of the Teju is,
like that of the iguana, another large lizard,
considered a dainty by the natives of Brazil,
where the Te)u is most common. It lives
in cavities in the ground, and particularly
tovered with hard and almost impenetrable
scales, while the skin of the Teju is almost
tender. The alligator, too, is almost sombre
in color, while the Teju is beautifully
marked. It is of adeep black color, relieved
by bright yellow bands aud spots. It is most
graceful in its movements, and in general
appearance is far removed from the terrible
ugliness of the alligator. Its teeth, like
those of the alligator, are continually re
newed.
It feeds on rats, mice, birds, and all such
small creatures as come in its way. It is
also exceedingly fond of eggs, and conse
quently is a most formidable enemy to the
race of alligators. These latter reptiles lay
most useful, it has been entirely wanting,
and this, too, when the Teju has been known
to be in the vicinity.
The Boston Pilot says: “An Italian chem
ist has invented a process for solidifying
wine, and a French chemist has found a
means of crystallzing brandy, making it
like a gum and readily dissolved. No more
timid public speakers now. Modesty and
diffidence can stow away as many lozenges
in their vest pockets as will loosen the moat
retiring tongue.
Hope never dies. Of course the under
taker has no interest in hope.