A description of curious lizards would fill a volume; we can note only a few of the less well-known varieties. The geckos are a very interesting family, living chiefly in Asia. The “croaking gecko” is a lizard which distinguishes himself by breaking the spell of silence which lies upon his order, and making a loud noise almost as unpleasant as that raised by a frog. The “flying gecko,” like the flying squirrel, has a wing-like expansion of the skin, and widely webbed feet, which enable it to support itself in the air as it leaps from tree to tree. Another Oriental lizard is named “the frilled,” because he wears a large quilled collar, or ruff, all around his neck; upon his head is a crest deeply indented, and down his back from head to tail-tip a full ruffle like a cloak close folded, or a court train. In fact, whenever I have seen a frilled lizard I have had a laugh, not only at its truly pert and comic appearance, but because he seems such a jolly little caricature of stately Queen Bess in her head tire, ruff, farthingale, and court train. Then, too, other ideas come to heighten my mirth over a frilled lizard. You must know that lizards’ tails are very brittle and not infrequently break off; when this happens the organ grows again just as a crab’s claw does. I wonder if the tail of the frilled lizard is apt to break off, and how long it takes such a cumbersome appendage to grow. Then, again, here is my other little joke over him: all lizards, as they grow cast their skins; toads and frogs do this also, and crabs cast their shells. The process is far from unusual, but the lizards like the toads swallow their worn-out garments, and how can my frilled lizard swallow such an amount of frilling and furbelow and flouncing! I should say he must choke! It would be as bad as being obliged to eat a birthday cake, candles, wreaths of flowers, and all. But when I stand before a frilled lizard, and laugh at all these queer notions concerning him, what does he do but bob and move his head and neck, until all his ruffles quiver and curl in a most threatening way, as if he meant to alarm me by his ferocious appearance. But he is really a timid creature, and would rather fly than fight. If you persecute him and drive him into a corner he will now and then turn at bay, and bite with some sharp little teeth that he has. The “flying dragon” is another odd lizard, provided with an extended membrane to serve as a parachute, and by which he flies--a little. But why call the dear little beast a dragon? His colors are wonderfully beautiful, as if he had been dipped in a melted rainbow, or in the stuff that peacock’s plumes are made of. We think that dragons are fierce creatures, but this “flying-dragon” lizard lives in trees and daintily feeds upon gay-colored insects, as pretty as itself.