My wife and I were visiting Southern California on vacation when we decided to stop by Mission San Juan Capistrano - an adobe chapel complex founded by Franciscan monks in 1776. In the back of the mission was a small replica of the gardens that produced much of the monks' food for hundreds of years.

As I walked through the garden, I noticed a large sign tacked in front of a particularly leafy bush. It read, "Please don't chase or catch our lizards. They lose their tails if you grab them." Sure enough, looking down at the bush I noticed several lizards lounging camouflaged against the leaves. They were ordinary, as lizards go - small and dull-green, which flecks of white or yellow streaked across their slim bodies. Nothing flashy.

But you can probably guess the first thought that went through my mind after reading that sign and getting a look at those lizards - I would like to see a lizard's tail fall off?. If I hadn't been with my wife and young (impressionable) son, I'm sure I would have ...