Nov. 1, 1S67.] 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



257 



Ch^erocampa celerio. — A fine specimen was 

 captured here ou Wednesday (August 2S) by Mr. 

 Horroeks, a collector in this town. It is a very fine 

 insect, and, judging from its condition, I should 

 think it was fresh from the pupa state. Having no 

 net with him at the time, he was obliged to take it 

 in an old matchbox. This is the second specimen 

 taken in Ipswich, one having been caught some 

 time since by Mr. Eaton, and now in the possession 

 of Mr. Ransome. — //'. M. Cole, Ipswich. 



Chameleon. — Several weeks ago a friend from 

 Cadiz presented me with a fine chameleon, about 

 a foot long. I have known persons fail to remark, 

 until their attention was called to it, the very 

 curious motion of the eyes, which can be worked 

 quite independently of each other, or in conjunction ; 

 for instance, one eye may be stationary, whilst the 

 other revolves freely, or both may be moved in 

 different or even contrary directions; but when about 

 to strike at a fly, both eyes are brought to bear on 

 the object. I have seen it protrude its tongue and 

 catch a fly at about seven inches distance, but its 

 favourite range seems to be three or four inches, and 

 if the prey be nearer than one inch, it generally 

 retreats when practicable to increase the distance. 

 The chameleon sleeps soundly, lying longitudinally 

 on a perch, or clinging to any object on which night 

 overtakes him, and will bear a little gentle handling 

 without awaking. Asleep and in the dark, the general 

 colour is straw below, and light pea-green above, 

 delicately shaded off. The passions appear to in- 

 fluence the colour, as it often changes when the 

 animal is approached. Still I can observe no fixed 

 rule by which the colours are governed, though 

 generally the brightest light produces the darkest 

 colour, and vice versa. Sometimes the side exposed to 

 the sun becomes dark brown, approaching to black, 

 more or less spotted; sometimes dark chocolate; and 

 I have seen it in direct sunlight deep yellow and 

 light green, in spots, bars, &c, with some darker 

 markings, and in some parts the green approached 

 very much to blue. When light coloured, two rows 

 of dark marks generally appear along each side. 

 The intensity of colour on one side may often be, 

 and generally is, different from that on the other side. 

 The tongue is slightly protruded from the mouth 

 preparatory to striking a fly, which is effected with 

 great celerity and much precision, although it is 

 often obliged so to contort its body as to seem very 

 unfavourably placed for attacking its prey. On 

 retracting, the tongue is considerably deflected, de- 

 pending much on the distance ; and the free end, 

 which is considerably the thicker, may be seen to be 

 concave, and in this cavity is the fly ; but it is by no 

 means easy at all times to observe the concavity, 

 owing to the rapidity of the act. The motion of the 

 limbs, though slow, is very free, and the grasp of the 

 feet very firm. These are shaped much like those 



of a parrot. The tail is prehensile. I have never 

 succeeded in keeping a chameleon alive for more 

 than two months, and should feel obliged if any of 

 the readers of Science-Gossip could give me any 

 hints about such treatment as may conduce to their 

 longevity. — G. S., Oporto. 



BOTANY. 



Tea-tree {Lycium barbartm). — I have at this 

 time one of these plants covered with the beautiful 

 bright red berries, so that it is a perfect spectacle. 

 Although the plant is common enough in gardens, 

 I think that it is not so common to observe it so full 

 of fruit.— W. C. C. 



Sonchus palustris. — Would you be kind 

 enough to state for the information of " B." that it 

 was in the county of Essex that I became acquainted 

 with Sonchtts palustris, L., as described in'JSciEXCE- 

 Gossip for September. Having considerable 

 acquaintance with the flora of Dorsetshire, I am 

 able to supplement the remarks of "R. W." re- 

 specting the occurrence of (Enanthe pimpinelloides, 

 L., in that county. I have found it growing 

 luxuriantly in several places in the vicinity of Wey- 

 mouth ; a bank to the south-west of Lodmoor ad- 

 joining the Preston road, and the east shore of the 

 Backwater near Radipole, are two of the habitats, 

 but not the only ones in that neighbourhood. — 

 /. W. White. 



Jumping Seeds. — I have read occasionally in 

 Natural History journals of what are termed 

 "jumping seeds ;" but it was only this summer that 

 something similar came under my own observation, 

 the particulars of which may possibly interest some 

 of your readers. A friend sent me a small excres- 

 cence taken off a hawthorn; it was about a sixth of 

 an inch in length, pear-shaped, and in size and form 

 much resembled one of the small stones of a grape 

 or raisin ; it appeared to have been attached by the 

 apex. Its curious jumping movements having 

 attracted attention, it was brought to me to ascer- 

 tain the cause of its activity, which was naturally 

 attributed to some living creature concealed within. 

 When it came into my hands it was perfectly quiet, 

 and as it remained so in spite of all attempts to rouse 

 it, I imagined the inmate was defunct. However, 

 in the course of the evening it was heard going 

 through its performances in the pill-box, and on 

 removing the lid it was seen oscillating and leaping 

 with a smart jerk, which carried it a quarter of an 

 inch or more from its starting-point. I was told 

 that it had jumped nearly an inch in length and a 

 fourth of an inch high, but I did not see it do so 

 much after it came into my possession, by which 

 time possibly it might have lost some of its vigour. 

 The movements were sharp and sudden, but usually 



