The east coast, where Sydney is, is much wetter than the south coast, around Adelaide, where I am originally from. Due to that the wildlife is quite different. The lizards are more numerous and larger. A large blue tongue or shingle back can be 45 cms whilst a goanna can be over 2 metres. For really big reptiles head to the north coast, around Arnhem Land, where the saltwater crocodiles can be well over 6 metres. You are lucky not to have them in your Sydney garden. They would eat a lot more than the mozzies.
Best Simon Simon Biggs [email protected] [email protected] Skype: simonbiggsuk http://www.littlepig.org.uk/ Research Professor edinburgh college of art http://www.eca.ac.uk/ Creative Interdisciplinary Research into CoLlaborative Environments http://www.eca.ac.uk/circle/ Electronic Literature as a Model of Creativity and Innovation in Practice http://www.elmcip.net/ From: Neil Jenkins <[email protected]> Reply-To: NetBehaviour for networked distributed creativity <[email protected]> Date: Thu, 8 Apr 2010 00:57:13 +1000 To: NetBehaviour for networked distributed creativity <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [NetBehaviour] lizard I haven't had the pleasure of seeing many big skinks since I arrived in Australia but my garden is full of little ones - they're beautiful little creatures and help keep the insect population at bay - so my fingers are safe for moment and the mosquitos are not ! :) I took some photos of the recent Cicada hatchings in my garden.. another amazingly adaptable species, outwitting its natural predators with fibonacci intelligence, prime numbers of years as a grub under the soil feeding on root sap, then a magnificent emergency and shedding of skin, followed by singing with the loudest voices for the summer months high up in the trees, mating and dieing. These greengrocers sing up to 130 decibels, more than enough to drown out the sounds of the direct flight path to Sydney airport above me and go into song at particular temperatures.. http://www.flickr.com/photos/neiljenkins/sets/72157622683372011/ On 07/04/2010, at 1:05 AM, Simon Biggs wrote: > Below is a blue tongue skink (a type of Australian lizard). It has no teeth, > as such, but very hard gums. One of these bit me on the finger, when I was a > kid, and refused to let go for some minutes, a bit like a pit bull. My finger > took quite a while to return to normal. I kept it as a pet, along with the > rest of the menagerie. > > Most of the time they sleep because it is either too cool (they like it above > 25c) or they¹ve found a really nice spot to sit in the sun. They are easy to > catch, but watch those gums! > > Best > > Simon > > > <image.png> > > Simon Biggs > > [email protected] [email protected] Skype: simonbiggsuk > http://www.littlepig.org.uk/ > Research Professor edinburgh college of art http://www.eca.ac.uk/ > Creative Interdisciplinary Research into CoLlaborative Environments > http://www.eca.ac.uk/circle/ > Electronic Literature as a Model of Creativity and Innovation in Practice > http://www.elmcip.net/ > > > > > From: Martha Deed <[email protected]> > Reply-To: NetBehaviour for networked distributed creativity > <[email protected]> > Date: Tue, 06 Apr 2010 10:39:49 -0400 > To: NetBehaviour for networked distributed creativity > <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [NetBehaviour] lizard > > A skink is a kind of lizard and therefore a reptile (1) > > It¹s not a salamander it¹s a skink > explanation that does not illuminate > absent a description of a salamander > or a skink vague memories of high school > biology seep to the surface > but do not enlighten > even the image > ugly thing or beautiful > so early in the day > depending upon one¹s taste > not helpful > > so how to communicate in this age > of salamanders or skinks > viewed without geography > on the web the technology of digital > cameras and internet connections > listservs and virus blockers > contributing to the morning > > ³Their general body shape is similar, > but other than that they are very different.²(2) > a politician¹s answer have I mentioned > we are looking at this creature > not living with it for a week > > moving on then > lizards have dry scaly skin > salamanders have slimy skin > lizards have claws > salamanders do not > lizards have external ear openings > salamanders do not (3) > > and skinks > emailing may help > > (1) www.kdwp.state.ks.us <http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us> (Animal Look-Alikes) > (2) > > http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_difference_between_a_lizard_and_a_salama > nder > (3) http://nyfalls.com/wildlife/Wildlife-reptiles-lizards.html > > Martha Deed > > The Lost Shoe > http://www.chapbookpublisher.com/shop.html > > The Lost Shoe video > http://www.sporkworld.org/Deed/lostshoe.mov > > > > James Morris wrote: >> > Here is an image of a lizard: >> > >> > http://jwm-art.net/art/image/lizard.jpg >> > >> > The lizard is in our garden shed. It has been sat there for well over a >> > week now. It is still alive. I don't know what it is doing. Sometimes it >> > turns around though I never see it move. Sometimes it's tail is hanging >> > off the edge, other times, like in this image, it's tail is laid out >> > straight behind it. >> > >> > Today I watched it for five minutes or so and saw the first sign of life >> > I've seen: something moved near the rear of it's head - I don't know what >> > as I know nothing about lizard anatomy - if it were a fish I'd say it's >> > gills moved. >> > >> > I wonder if it is going to shed its skin. I don't know. Would it like a >> > drink of water? Why is it there? What is it doing? >> > >> > I might try emailing the RSPCA or some other wild life charity requesting >> > advice. >> > >> > >> > >> > _______________________________________________ >> > NetBehaviour mailing list >> > [email protected] >> > http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour >> > >> > > _______________________________________________ > NetBehaviour mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour > > > Edinburgh College of Art (eca) is a charity registered in Scotland, number > SC009201 > > > <image.png> > _______________________________________________ > NetBehaviour mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour > _______________________________________________ NetBehaviour mailing list [email protected] http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour Edinburgh College of Art (eca) is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC009201
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