294 Mr Spittal on the Natural History 



mity of the tongue folds up to a slight extent, somewhat like 

 the extremity of the proboscis of an elephant ; and moreover the 

 organ is coated with an adhesive matter. 



According to the quantity of air in the lungs, the lateral di- 

 mensions of the chameleon are more or less extended. We have 

 observed them more than an inch and a half in breadth across 

 the chest ; sometimes, however, compressed to less than half an 

 inch ; their usual bulk was the medium between these. 



That the change of colour has an intimate relation to the 

 bulk of the animal, or, in other words, to the quantity of air in 

 the lungs, there is every evidence ; and we shall now make a 

 few remarks on that singular phenomenon, stating the various 

 changes of colour observed, and at the same time the circum- 

 stances in which the animals were placed at the moment. To com- 

 municate a knowledge of the particular shades of colour noticed, 

 we shall refer to the nearest in Werner's " Nomenclature of Co- 

 lours," by Syme. The usual colour observed during the day, 

 was a mixture of various shades of green, in irregular spots ; 

 towards the head, these, however, sometimes assumed the form 

 of stripes. The following are the numbers of the shades of green 

 according to Syme, which approach nearest to those we noticed, 

 viz. Nos. 46, 47, 48, 51, 52, 53, 54, 57, 58, frequently inter- 

 mixed with nearly all the shades of grey given by Syme. Some 

 times these colours were slightly mixed with yellowish patches, 

 approaching to No. 71 ; at other times, with dark purple spots, 

 rather lighter in colour than No. 96. 



Such were their usual colours for the most part of the day, 

 while moving about, undisturbed in their cage, or amongst the 

 twigs of a plant, in the search of food. When of the greenish 

 hue mentioned, it was sometimes difficult to discover them 

 amongst the leaves ; and indeed it seems probable that this may 

 be a provision of nature, to enable the chameleon to procure its 

 food, which consists chiefly of insects ; and these, had the ani- 

 mal been of a colour more distinct from that of its natural habi- 

 tation, trees, might have been deterred from approaching within 

 a tangible distance. 



At night, when asleep, ^he colour was of a yellow hue, ap- 

 proaching to Nos. 71, 75, and 63, at different times. Being 

 desirous to ascertadn the effect of light on them, while of that 



