HORNED LIZARD ESSAY CONTEST, I: Help researchers gather 
historical data on a state icon ... we'll find out how Passport to Texas
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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife

The bluebonnet, mockingbird, and longhorn steer, are 
among Texas' state symbols. Yet few icons have captured 
the hearts and minds of Texas baby-boomers the way 
Horned Lizards have. 

"A lot of people have fond memories of horned lizards in their 
youth."

Marsha Reimer coordinates the Nature Tracker program 
for Texas Parks and Wildlife.

"Kids would pick them off the ground, stick 'em in their pockets, 
in their lunch pails. And they would like to roll them over and 
rub their bellies and cause them to go into this sleep state. And 
then there's also the stories about they shoot blood out of their 
eyes."

Although Texans of a certain age have memories of 
horned lizards, younger Texans may not, as its population 
has declined over the years. So, for the past five years, 
the Hometown Horned Lizard Essay Contest has offered 
third through the twelfth grade students a chance to 
learn about the lizard individually or as a team. 

"How it works; they will go out and research what happened to 
the horned lizards within their community. They will talk to 
people in their community, and get insight into what may have 
happened in the past. So this way we get some anecdotal 
information on what had gone on with the horned lizard in their 
communities throughout the state."

The submission deadline is February 1, 2006. Find all the 
information you need on the Texas Parks and Wildlife 
Web site. More on the essay contest tomorrow.

That's our show for today ... For Texas Parks and 
Wildlife ... I'm Cecilia Nasti.