Probably the best experience Azure and I have had was in Miama, when we
knew I wouldn't be returning to Florida International University (hell-
hole); we went around 4-5 times a week to the Everglades. After a while we
were fairly good at walking/sloshing off-trail, both day and night. You
could hear the alligators around us in the darkness - it was incredible.
The crocodilians are closely related to birds, moreso than to the reptiles
- they build nests, guard their young, rear them, are monogamous at least
at times, have territories, etc. Alligators also have amazing sensory
receptors over their bodies - the 'bumps' which detect the slightest move-
ment in the water. And closeup, they're probably the most beautiful
animals we've seen.
It was strange - what we feared, in the middle of the night - wasn't the
gators or snakes etc. - but 'man' - there were drug-runners just outside
the park - at one point we thought we were done for.
- Alan
On Wed, 7 Apr 2010, Simon Biggs wrote:
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 they?ve 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)
It?s not a salamander it?s 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 one?s 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
?Their general body shape is similar,
but other than that they are very different.?(2)
a politician?s 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_sa
lamander
(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
>
>
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C009201
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webpage http://www.alansondheim.org sondheimat gmail.com, panix.com
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