--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Snow, Harold L. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 32 number: 3 published: 1929-01 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "Harold L. Snow, “Giant Lizards of Panama,” *Improvement Era* 32, no. 3 (January 1929): 221–223." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera3203unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera3203unse start_page: 221 end_page: 223 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1929-01) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera3203unse publication_year: 1929 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1929, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Giant Lizards of Panama Giant Lizards of Panama By Harold L. Snow The flesh of the iguana or giant lizard is reckoned among the delicacies of the tropics. It is tender and of a peculiarly delicate flavor, not unlike the breast of a spring chicken, accord- ing to many of the Panamanians who use the reptile as one of their choice foods. Jamaican negroes now residing in Panama seem to be especially fond of the iguana, just as their American negro brothers rel- ish chicken meat. This perhaps ac- counts for the fact that the iguana, which at one time was very common in J a m a i c a, is gradually being extirpated from that island. Iguanas are a family of lizards, but the name is sometimes loosely ap- plied to many species of lizards such as monitors and varans. Iguanas are distinguished from the rest of their tribe by the formation of their teeth. These are round at the roots, swollen and rather compressed at the tip and notched on the edge. There are gener- ally some teeth on the palate as well. Perching on trees and living almost wholly among the branches, to which it clings with its powerful feet and claws, the iguana finds the greater part of its food in the form of leaves, fruits and parasitic plants, which in the tropics are so abundant. Many of the creatures prefer the branches of trees that overhang rivers or lakes. When danger threatens they drop down into the water and swim away. Some of them remain under the water for more The Iguana. Perfectly Harmless. Despite Its Looks: And It Tastes Just Like Chicken. Its Usual Length is FROM 4 TO 6 FEET than an hour, but in general the iguana, after dropping or being thrown into the water, swims rapidly to the shore, apparently afraid of deep water. While in captivity it is known to feed upon various leaves and flowers. Some persons who have observed the animal in its native state claim that it also eats eggs, insects and various other animal substances. The usual color of the iguana is a bright, silvery green, but it is quite variable even in the same indi- vidual, changing by the influence of locality, weather and temper. On its sides a few brown bands are generally seen and the tail is marked with brown and green of various tones, the two colors being arranged in alternate rings all the way down to the tip of its tail. In spite of its being quite innocuous, the sight of an iguana is rather for- bidding, and when it obtains its greatest length, of four to six feet, it presents a sufficiently formidable ap- pearance to warrant, in some degree, the fabulous tales which have been deduced from its strange shape. It used to be said that the only creature that could stand before the iguana and still live was the cock, whose shrill clarion the reptile held in such terror that on hearing the sound it fled into the depths of the desert and there con- cealed itself. Therefore travelers who were forced to journey through the sandy deserts of Libya were advised always to carry with them a supply of 222 IMPROVEMENT ERA lively, loud-voiced cocks, whose vigor- ous crowings would protect them from the iguanas which were haunting that part of the country. The natives claimed that all living creatures, ex- cept the cock, were forced to fly from the sight of the iguana. Even man, they said, would fall dead from the glance of the reptile's eye. "This poy- son," said Top- sel, "infecteth the air, and the air so infected killeth all living things, and likewise all green things, fruits, and plants of the earth: it burneth up the grasse whereupon it goeth or creep- eth, and the fowls of the air fall down dead when they come near his den or lodging. Some- times he biteth a man or beast, and by that wound the blood t u r n e t h into choler, and so the whole body be- cometh yellow or gold, presently killing all that touch it or come near it. Even a horseman who had taken into his hand a spear which had been thrust through an iguana did not only draw the poyson of it into his own body and so dyed, but also killed his horse there- by." But in spite of these ancient super- stitions the iguana today supplies cut- lets which, when properly dressed, take a very high place among the delicacies of a well spread table in the tropics. There are various modes of cooking A Six-Foot Iguana the iguana. Roasting and boiling are the most common, and making it into fricassee is a mode which has met with general approval. In confinement the iguana is slow and inactive but it soon learns to know its keeper and to him it shows decided preference. In their native haunts during the warmer portions of the day the creatures climb some low tree and stretch themselves in the sun, their tail hanging down like that of a snake. While thus basking they are not easily aroused, and, perhaps trusting too much to their protective color- ing, can be closely approach- ed without evinc- ing any alarm. The natives take advantage of this indifference, and while the animal thus lies gently eyeing the in- truder, a noose attached to a long stick is slip- ped over its head, and the unsus- pecting animal immediately finds itself jerked from its elevated position to fall a victim to the omnivorous appetite of man. Two centuries ago the pious Pere Labat gave an interest- ing account of how he saw iguanas captured: "We were attended by a negro who carried a long rod, at the end of which was a piece of whip-cord with a running knot. After beating about the bushes for some time the negro discovered our game basking in GIANT LIZARDS OF PANAMA 223 the sun on the dry limb of a tree. Here- upon he began whistling with all his might, to which the iguana was won- derfully attentive, stretching out his neck and turning his head as if to enjoy it more fully. The negro now ap- proached, still whistling, and advanced his rod gently, and began tickling with the end of it the sides and throat of the iguana, which seemed mightily pleased with the operation, for he turned on his back and stretched himself out like a cat before the fire and at length fell asleep, which the negro perceiving, dexterously slip- ped a noose over his head, and with a jerk brought him to the ground. And good sport it afforded, to see the crea- ture swell like a turkey-cock to find himself entrapped. We caught more in the same way and kept one alive seven or eight days, but it grieved me to the heart to find that he thereby lost much delicious fat." The horned toad which inhabits the hills about Salt Lake City and sur- rounding country belongs to the same family as the iguana, both having the family name Iguanidae in common. The giant lizard of the tropics, how- ever, is some 500 times larger than the horned toad, its Rocky Mountain cousin. The iguana lays eggs. These it deposits in the hollows of the trees in which it lives. The eggs are of oblong shape about one and one-half inches in length and are said to be very pleas- ant eating, especially when taken raw and mixed with farina. The albumen makes up only a small part of the egg substance, most of it being yolk. When cooked the eggs do not harden, but become only a little thicker in con- sistency. Natives claim that if one approaches the iguana too rapidly as it is clinging to the high limb of a tree and frightens the creature, it will gulp down large amounts of air until its body swells up like a rubber ball. Then upon releasing its hold on the limb the animal falls to the ground with a bounce, whereupon it belches up the air and scampers away from its enemy faster than most dogs can run. The Mocking Bird Now, in the early dawn I see The little gray-coat mocking-bird. 'Tis he awakens wood and lea, Famed songster, wheresoever heard. Lo! ecstacy shows in his form That sways and rises, swings and falls, As ardently his love-song calls, Endearing, thrilling, glowing warm. She comes, she comes for whom he sings! Now throbs his breast 'neath happy wings. And still more rapturous the note Intones from his enamored throat. I listen to the wonderful! Hark! how the thrilling notes abound! How throbs and pulses all the air With melody, that swells in sound; And bird-notes from full many a song Maywood. Calif. In all the woodland aisles around! Hast thou a teacher in the bowers Of jasmine bloom, or cypress shade, Or 'mid magnolia's fragrant flowers, Or rhododendron's brilliant glade. That gave to thee thy subtle art In tender wooing of the heart? Again that song! It floats along Merrily, merrily, merrily: The dove's low cooing. The robin's wooing, The notes of killdeer, thrush and wren Is o'er the hill and in the glen, Mingled with calls that ever quiver And float along o'er shore and river — Merrily, merrily ever giving Joyful tones of love and living! Joseph Longking Townsend