iiitcffumeiits 



of the Common Chameleon. 9I&7 



The mechanical action of the lungs, we presume, 

 must have a similar eflcct on the skin. 



It is curious to observe the opinions of naturalists concerning 

 the change of colour in the chameleon, and we have here sub- 

 joined those of the authors we have consulted on this point, in a 

 tabular form. 



Authors. 



Opinions concerning the Causes of Change of Colour. 



Aristotle. j 



Pliny. 

 Worm. 1055. 



SOLINUS. 



The Cartesians. - 



KlRCIIER. 

 GODDARD. 



SONNINI. 



Author in IIees'- 

 Ency eloped, who 

 quotes the pre- 

 ceding five Au- 

 thors. 



Encyc. Brit. 



Encyc. Edin. < 



LiKNiEUS, I 



System. Nat. J 



Goldsmith, > 



Anim. Nat. J 

 Hasselquist. 

 Shaw, Nat. Hist. 



Russell, Nat. ) 



Hist. Alepppo. j 



Flemiko, I 



Philos. ofZool. I 



French Academi- \ 



cians. i 



Lacepede, I 



Ovip. Quad. j 



D'ObSONVILLE. •! 



DuMERiL, Diet. ) 

 de Sciences Nat. J 



COVIER, 



Regno Anim. 



1 



Barrow, \ 



Travels in Africa, j 



The change of colour takes place when the animal becomes 

 inflatecl. 



Takes the colour of bodies which it approaches, except red 

 and white. 



From affections of the mind of animal. 



Reflection. 



By disposition of parts that compose the skin giving a dif- 

 ferent modification to rays of light. 



Imagination of animal. 



Granules on skin reflecting colour of bodies adjacent. 



Their different affections nicrease or diminish the intensi- 

 ty of the tints of colour. 



Skin yellow ; blood violet ; change in consequence of diffe- 

 rent quantities of blood driven into skin at different 

 times. 



s 



Changes on exposure to sun ; colour seems to depend on 

 state of health, temperature, and other unknown causes. 



Lungs render skin more or less transparent, and also 

 change the colour of the blood according as inflated. 



Perhaps from being seized with a kind of jaundice. 



Not from colour of objects it approaches. 



From being very subject to jaundice. 

 From exposure to sun, changes colour. 



From objects on which they happen to be placed. 

 According to states of animal. 

 From exposure to sun. 



Fear, anger, and heat 



Blood violet ; vessels and skin yellow ; hence upon quan* 

 tity of blood driven to skin depends colour. 



According as blood is sent more or less rapidly in contact 

 with the fresh air inspired. 



According to their wants and passions, lungs render body 

 more or less transjmrent, and force the blood more or 

 less to flow towards the skin : that fluid coloured more 

 or less brightly according to quantity of air taken into 

 lungs. 



From quantity of oxygen in lungs. 



