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Show AA utaui i,,,,, im, J;?' ti - ) 2 fi is uasWda :.j L a Nv a i fj 8! VA O - U. W1VUJ , , ' J - The Monstrous Lizards IS r a a - v. , Giant Lizards, like the k ' . A? r.IEi'K i Wl ' f . J ,A ' fV yJtjUJ-S: 1 Are as Ferocious as Ihe 'l';! Monsters of Mythology, : wj"jOr ' - SHH ,V ' ' 'V' C . 3 T X " "j-r, ' Leap Upon . WW Pony X Science s Latest (h A 7 .TB!:!r,,, r? v i ? : s v -EJ ,-k 7 & : ' ' imh m I'Al i? '.i 'C''525 jj$jA? JAA& A J, A ' "nte'the'tmlive Rivc'u '''1 J , ' , ' -tj L ..:V'- W'. MMX s XxV ' , J oo' he dg?nTacverretocarSCof L 7 ' KNY I ."I V llM)FSf X i M 7 o e animal Ihey hav Ski, batiks V: I 3 .'r f W y'iiixW-f-S j0 XV . t 1 ii which one of the combatants is 'i Vv. ' yk. rtSAGON hunting once the t "l -"f " Vjr- ' AfiX 1 lC S - , i e to Le torn to pieces. 'T I S sport of fairy tale princes 11 ' k feiN W80W4&- 5- "t . , V . X 10 ' of the en;at lizard alone. r.-hn . Hf- ; at,astbeentakenuPsenoUs,yoy - , S A X y pXLT' uAj , f iW, pj JR: When Alan Cobham, the famous ','s' 7 ' , - J, 1 Mte to a full Krown man .vii.U r&rf i IJtM English aviator, during his daring I -4 , , I -SK- fp,M J ss --- ' Moreover, their habit of recir- , fl1 p.fc night over the East Indian Islands f , fl . 21RW V"-, ' , , W,, CT35. 1 nd caves, m accord wnh mcCu-vat .V,v:-M to Australia, reported that he had ! V K )f ' ' " :.:lh'g-Ud A . - L,f them a.lhcolt ammals 0 K. actually seen a dragon, breathing ?1 ! J I f " tfl Ss-T " " 1!uut-. . . ' . Yh, smoke and of enormous size, the t -& WMWIMkN 4 vt ' i 's. v tne hunting is nov.ever, so mu.h V 7 iA general public politely snickered, ' -SlXU ' 77, N 1 U t 1 , c uiteu from Cobham's annouuc;,-. f- and wondered who the aviator was W SSWW XXVWTtSSVV'V W V 1 ( 1 n it f 1 dragon that it is feared thai lO, trying to fool with his nursery A JLfV WVmV' 7 '( os may soon be entirely e:;ter- ArT 5 versions of natural history. A VV WMh, " . f 1 1 s thoii-ht that it may be- But when someone thought to t W: A- . - CT2-. 1 cn t e ooject of hunters vho prQ- ?iVV, .! VS consult the scientists as to the probability 'v EfkX ,N'vrf1Pi& , ms''' 'c Js ' were satisfied with the ium.jrs A, A.' ' of there being such an animal as a dragon ' WWS&Wpf' X.7 t be on knl.ns J.ons, .and rhi, . the world was dumfounded to learn that dV JlXVWWsO PvA . no cio s. .Irapon hunt, with its jrreat- . .. L the monster was not only known aoou., K?Njl A W v , . Q a n g e r s aiid notoriety to the lucky , i . ; m. but that there were actually two scientific S .fit ClA i" r hunter, it .s iclt, will become the. ob.iect ,iV. fA expeditions which hoped to capture one. feilMrZA j AfA-" ' 4 ' 01 a,l. seeking now and dangerous thrills. VXA") Jfet The American Museum of Natural History vJEW ViCLb3 "4 is J c" Sf - Er.tish scientists have expressed U.o, , XA 'FSij has an expedition out dragon hunting At tn fJvV W V iVA ( " ' fear that the specie? may be enurvly vxr. A-Sjv present time, and the Smithsonian Museum also Lt"U'- " l&tfjp ' X -I . " 1 erm.natea by . sportsmen, and the au- . t m has a body of scientists in the dragon country, f jAt'Lf' Jt ' ' V"1 ? thorit.es at. the London Zoo .and e AH S u7ronm m WiMW ' - -T.fS-io-T.h'etherthere- (fiU in the folklore of N, ."l r WE4mW$Pj' ? -1 cently discovered dregons ot Ko- ' U most races, and A - IMWViMv J;J I . xato I A . ' n.v-wrw.n. mondo Islana were known to the "if'l K there have been 'A TRffA 1 k T 1 A V' UKM , , . ' ' . , ancient people ?f Europe and A,. many descriptions Xk - TVi ' - II X J9 - Right: Capt. " were the same animals on .which uAn kU-s of the monster, WWWWs U ;'3 A' AlSn Cobham, J' , they based their legends is an- purporting to FjAAAr 1 1 AA the English , , . swc.rcd in the nepitive by the scl- jV- come from some NX ly-'"iS W2?sslS' 111 I I Aviator, Whose v , '3. ,n. -Vi,j0: v. T, , , yiv ftf hunter who stum- VOL. II i 'l W Statement ' - ' 'ederick Lucas explana-. fffv, fjjf bled on the animal . 0Sw ' jeJfj J ' l I That He Saw - ' .. :,. t-on is: . , lki?Z? jy when alone and who man- . x rjrHfc VOsP - N. V a Real Dragon A 4 . - A. After all these dragons 'rfv il'KJ aSed to escape after the S Ifxvmmam V ' V JVy While Flying i. 1 . , , are nothing but enormous H NA EVpr most desperate fighting. l ' fl mail liir ( ) jy Over Komondo ' i ' lizards, and it is very un- ly ii y , The ancient Greeks had SSafiSrV- Island, Has A ' , "keiy that they were ever ! their dragons to guard beau- """"i Been Partly Verified by Two Scientific I , . p !'.nown in ancient Europe. ' 3 j tiful maidens, precious gems 'S Expeditions Hunting the Huge Reptiles. ''' y I hose dragons of folklore i f 1 i( and uncharted seas. The - , ,,V - ' resemble those of fact more LVV irnX Chinese had numerous drag- . Vc - i 1 ' " " i. , , Ihrongli coincidence than r)A l)V ons in their folklore and religion, and the d.-aWS, gathered together a lalrTy eomplete description "We have an expedition down at Komondo j . s' any tiling else. The ancient ( A'- ,Vjt as a result, makes a constant appearance in their of the species. now, looking for a specimen. In fact, we are :iA .:' people in an effort to invent thd VA'V art, as a huge, crocodile-like animal with pow- The dragon's scientific name is the monitor exceedingly anxious to obtain a dragon, as it .',- - , ' ' , J " most terrifying an i ma. they 7V ji vM(( erful jaws, emitting lire from its eyes and smoke lizard of the genus Yaranus. There are only will be the first that will ever have been ' I " ' could imagine, covered a giant ISy from its mouth, and capable of tearing a dozen two places in the world where it has ever been brought to America. At the start we had , ..!.. . s ,v ... y ' " lizard with scales, gave him peat llti 1 , men to pieces with its great claws. seen, the first on Komondo Island, a little patch some trouble getting permission from the K 'u v k.- jaws and a fiery mouth. Hunters ) ii tu 4- rlvno-nn Uwawr ia nrnh- of hind which Cobham hannened to nass in his Tlnty.h P.nvpmmptit: fnr tlrn exnedifinTi "Rtih ,uiE S i-.J: ropni LOd seeing pilch an animal, lust in v,.v, , ft J gets a claw or, the Terrincoi VA.' .'I -.v- -1 P'n.". the animal is docin...l. -: . f .--- bernK torn to pieces by .iv , .oi r; grtat horny monster. 'I . en v if r.iort Hlaniiing are i".:e Afi I ''; - counts the natives jrivo of UV i desperate ligiita lictwecn ' b,- i t.-. o of ihe d;.::gons ever the carcass, of ': ome animal they have slain, hntllc t-N-V 'i a- roval iii which one of the cornb&tunts in ' sure to be torn to pieces. . -S. I The hul of the g:n.-at lizard alone, vhen A jysh; c; aoout can crush a hunter with a ' lyj .. s'ligie blow. Even the baby dragons of S t" .,; loiii- ur fiv.- feet in length can gulp dowii r- . .ji..m :.ii:;n,:i. wnoOo, wiiile the larKor ones onq 2;'! wL:t.vvr a oeadiy bite to a full grown v.in .viiU Vc J Moreover, their habir of retir- t Avi.-? ii;;; tntu ::uie.- and cr.ves, in accord with mecH-val Ao,'!'' uaaitiuns, makes them dilHcult animals Lo find,. "(.;, U -. ati'.i ii-' aciierous to hunt. ' 'vA- i 'ii 1 1'( ; ilh as the hunting is, however, .so much ' V. oiioiiuii liteu from Cobham's annouuet;-, -A'AA meat of sec in: a dragon that it is feared that . 'Or. the snecR-s may soon be entirely e:Aer- f J mmar'.-fi. It is thought that it may be- isJ? ccme tne object of hunters vho pre,- "S vKHisi.v were satisfied with the iioiiors $ to be won killing lions. ii: rn and riii- y'Jy noceroses. A (ha;ron hunt, with its "Teat- , dangers and notoriety to the lucky ? ' ' hunter, it is felt, will become the, object iV of all seeking now and dangerous thrills. : VVaDI, ' Eritish scientists have expressed the ' yfAA fear that the specie? may be enurvly cxr' ' ns, terminated by sjortsmen, and the au- vvvV-' - . thorities at the London Zoo . and the 1 A . . South Kensington Natural Histoi-y 'via'r s'y . ! . seum of London have stated their; hons. J that the butch (Government, to whom JA:' . Komondo Island belongs, will take steps ' M to prevent dragon slaying frv.m brom- -M vX'ir J ' ing a pastime. In a measure Dutch yrY oincials have complied. '-Jj V v - The question of whether the re- s? jf rvv cently discovered dragons of Ko- ! fyi mondo Island were known to the 'W: I V ' i- ancient people of Europe and HC ' 4 were the same animals on which tHv - j they based their legends is an- vX-A : swercd in the negative by the sci- '-N.V 4 ' AffA ). '-i a, ''rederick Lucas' explana- VfTS ' "! is: . ;'; A?' 1 - A "After all these dragons ' ,- v !x are nothing but enormous f (SA lizards, and it is very un- llVvV . likely that they were ever 1 ' j) known in ancient Europe. ' s Those dragons of folklore . l 1 r,.nililo tl,,.eo nf f..i (I il ' 4 1 - A Iv 'A ,:. m I - FRAG0N hl:r't;r"g once the A t 'l ! J " j sport of faii-y tale princes " 4 K anc legendary saints has jpisj kNV at last been taken up seriously by f - T1 4 science. J ,W When Aian Cobham, the famous i-"-' 1 ,JV English aviator, during his daring '?JLi m?llt; ovel" the East Indian Islands 1 a Jiy to Australia, reported that he had sai actually seen a dragon, breathing , 1 y L smoke and of enormous size, the i(t-A general public politely snickered, V if'jtr' an( v''onciered who the aviator was '(fjL trying to fool with his nursery i versions of natui-al history. , But when someone thought to w .il kit consult the scientists as to the probaoihty A s!'-'"i w of there being such an animal as a dragon. j the world was dumfounded to learn thafe :i the monster was not only known aoout, jL bat that there were actually two scienfafic :IA expeditions which hoped to capture one. I The American Museum of Natural History bas an expedition out dragon hunting at th 'MH present time, and the Smithsonian Museum also 1 M has a body of scientists in the dragon country, l llF W'10 T,ou'c' T,ot be adverse to capturing one of XU J 'be animals as a side line to its research work. To be sure, Alan Cobham's dragon differs in, rlkj a fev minor points ;'k from those of leg- m". a f end and fable. For mS:S. t W V the dragon has fig- jr : i ured prominently v. I ml in the folklore of rac. most races, and ' there have been 'A Pfx many descriptions vWps of the monster, purporting to V come from some ftrs hunter who stum- fes, X" 'f bled on the animal when alone and who man- ft il KJ age to e 3 c a P e after the E. fjVTp most desperate fighting. : f - The ancient Greeks had A lj I their dragons to guard beau- U I tiful maidens, precious gems i(V and uncharted seas. The ;jhiF Chinese had numerous drag- Lftr ons in their folklore and religion, and the dragon, ;7)p as a result, makes a constant appearance in their ?Nj art, as a huge, crocodile-like animal with pow- Aif! erful jaws, emitting lire from its eyes and smoke Ay Jl'om 'ts moutb, and capable of tearing a dozen L men to pieces with its great claws. VV The most famous dragon, however, is prob- )!f ably the one that St. George is reputed to have , I slain, and so won for himself the post of patron saint of England. He is supposed to have staged I his famous dragon hunt somewhere during the (' , fourth century, and by his courage freed an en- YM. tire section of England that lay under the f'J dragon's domination and saved the daughter of the King. Many pictures have been painted of tO the armor-clad knight on his white horse dashing V3 boldly in among the flames of the dragon's I if breath and transfixing the dragon as it turned to VA v- flee. But most children have been taught at an Mitir early age to regard the story as an interesting iiliJ bit of mythology, which has no place in the p V i twentieth century. MvV When Alan Cobham, however, made his aston- A ishing announcement of having seen one of the tSs,. animals, and science verified the report, it was kt I found that the legends checked very closely with the present living animal. There are several LI.! y men in America who know something about the rH L great lizard. A small German museum has ac- rr tually had a stuffed specimen of one for some Vl'Vp years, and one highly technical textbook had g'at'nered together a fairly cornpfete description of the species. The dragon's scientific name is the monitor lizard of the genus Varanus. There are only two places in the world where it has ever been seen, the first on Komondo Island, a little patch of land which Cobham happened to pass in hi3 remarkable flight, and the other, nearby, at Labuan Batjo, the extreme western end of Flores Island, in the Indjan Ocean. D: Frederick A. Lucas, honorary director of the American Museum of Natural History in. New York, described the dragons as follows: "They are really giant lizards, of course, but the largest that exist. They have only been discovered dis-covered recently, and just how large they may grow is still a matter of doubt. A German count who did some work in that district claimed that he had found ,onn twenty-three feet long, but I dare say that is stretching it a bit. London scientists sci-entists report shooting thirteen-footers, however, and seeing several specimens twenty feet long. "The monster has all the ferocity of the leg endary animal. Ke has a huge head, covered with armor plate-like scales, and a roundish cranium. The animal has a powerful set of jaws, a fat slobbering snout and a long yellow tongue. They have scalloped crests on their crops and tails, which add to their ferocious appearance, and they have very strong claws with which they can tear a horse to pieces, according to report. "We have an expedition down at Komondo now, looking for a specimen. In fact, we are exceedingly anxious to obtain a dragon, as it will be the first that will ever have been brought to America. At the start we had some trouble getting permission from the Dutch Government for the expedition. But that was at last secured, and we have our hopes. If we are lucky we will secure a small one. If we are very lucky the expedition may manage to bring one back alive." While there has never been a dragon specimen speci-men in America, there have been several attempts at-tempts made to hunt them. Beside? the American Amer-ican Museum of Natural History, it is reported that the Smithsonian Museum has an expedition in the neighborhood of Java and Borneo, and while the expedition is chiefly biological, it is thought in scientific circles that that expedition is making a try for the honor of bringing the first dragon to America-Hunting America-Hunting the dragon in the twentieth century has quite as many thrills as St. George reported. They are exceedinglj ferocious, and only differ from those of legend in the fact that they do not breathe fire and smoke. For while Cobham, the aviator, reported that the ones he beheld, when angered, emitted fumes not unlike smoke, scientists scien-tists believe that this can be nothing more than the vapor of the animal's breath. Komondo Island, on which most of the dragon Newspaper Feature Scrrlre, 1D26. . . ; . .. . A;-" '$yk'iOstS?&$- 'A&A'' - v ''V""A bunting is done, is a useless dot of land, its chief ' contact with the outside world being through the rhhmg boats that occasionally stop. In recent years the dragons have been to a. large extent driven from the coa t into the interior of the island by both scientists anxious to secure specimens spec-imens and natives who combine against the great reptiles periodically and drive them back from the neighborhood of their villages. The dragon hunters will therefore have to form an expedition into the interior of the island, and they are expected to have a good deal of trouble securing natives for their project. Moat of the native hunters have learned caution, and state that they prefer to go after crocodiles, for the dragon has the viciousncss of the crocodile croco-dile combined with the speed of a small, agile lizard. The natives report that they have frequently ' seen the great reptiles lumber down out of tho woods and actually run down the half-wild island ponies of Komohuo Island. Once the "dragon" , Ihrongli coincidence than FrA! ,s' anything else. The ancient I iv.- ' people in an eifort to invent tho VvVl J most terrifying anima. ihev J) I ' " could imagine, covered a giant il(! ' lizard with scales, gave him gieat . Nil A . jav.s and a fiery mouth. Hunters ' ropwtcd seeing rutin an animal, just as in even vA these days hunters will report seeing freak ' Z'.'l beasts unknown to science. ' ' ' fy l.j "Thi-y would be frightened at something they if k ' did not understand tun and then to account ,' for their fear they would invent some strange tale of an awe inspiring creature. Other huntcr.s pC'-h under similar circumstances would einbru.uvr on - the fii'ft man's monster. The voodoo men and' 'BfC-N priests would utilize the tale as it developed! M fcjl Mothers would scare their unruly children with A ft ' stories of the imaginary beast. It would grow 1 AV ' into a tribal tradition and the dragon would as- , (.AAA some its part in (he folklore of the world. AV'AV "But the actual Komondo dragon probably do- h .SwiiW. velooed right in that locality. It merely hap- PT ,VA pened to develop along the lines that folklore 1 - Kjv'r had described. Just why it developed on Ko- C;Vm mondo Island and no place else in the world is Af- bard to say. But it was probably some combina- fXftA.! ' tion of happy environment and chance. There V ' vV"" are practically no enemies to the griaWizards on ti f the isbnd. Its food was plentiful. It just in- creased in. size through the centuries untii it hap- "-tvr pened to attain the form of ancient legend." , '1 |