Lesueur's Water Lizard is a curious specimen. He has not been here long, but has already assumed, on his own nomination, a position of great responsibility and importance. He is Inspector of Visitors. He won't have questionable characters in the reptile-house. When not actively inspecting, he is watching for his victims. He observes a visitor approaching. He is on guard at once, by the front glass of the case. His aspect is official and stern, his manner abrupt and peremptory; he is not a lizard to be trifled with. "Paid your shilling?" he demands, as plainly as a silent lizard may. "Got your railway ticket? Show it." Any respectable visitor with the fear of the law before his eyes will comply at once. "Where do you live? Produce your last water-rate receipt." He looks you up and down suspiciously. "Been vaccinated lately? Date? All right. Pass along." And he swings abruptly round to watch for somebody else. [Illustration: "?--?--?"] [Illustration: ALL'S WELL.] [Illustration: "MINE!"] [Illustration: "MINE, I TELL YOU!"] The Australian Bearded Lizard (most quaint lizards are Australian) is supposed to derive his colloquial name--the Jew Lizard--from his beard. But he has an Israelitish acquisitiveness of his own, too. He goes about his shop--everything he does makes it seem a shop--and brings his paw down on one pebble and one twig after another with an unmistakable air of assertive proprietorship. "Mine," he intimates, "mine, every one of them; and you keep your hands off them, unless you're ready to do business." He would pronounce it "pishnesh" if mere gesture-talk admitted of it. A little irritation goes a long way with the Jew lizard. His beard stands out tremendously, he swells to a rib-threatening degree, and stands at bay with open mouth, ready to smite the Philistines hip and thigh and spoil the Egyptians of their finger-tips--let them but come near enough. But he is a very respectable lizard, not so lazy as most, and pleasant to the touch. [Illustration: "YESH, MINE, MY TEAR."] [Illustration: GALLOT'S LIZARD--"RATIONS AHOY!"] [Illustration: CATCH WHICH?]