OF SERPEN TS. 97 



not afFord a finer Variety of Shadowing, nor our fioefl Pi(5tures 

 more lively, fweet, and proportionable Drawing. 



For the further Illuftration of this Subje(fl:, I fhall add fome- 

 thing from the Philofophical Tranfadtions about a female Came- 

 leon, the Skin of which appear'd mixt of feveral Colours, like a 

 Medley-cloth. The Colours difcernable are green, a fandy yel- 

 low ; and indeed one may difcern, or at leaft fancy, fome mix- 

 ture of all, or mofl Colours in the Skin, whereof fome are more 

 predominant, at different times: There are fome permanent black 

 Spots on the Head, and Ridge of the Back. But our modern 

 Naturalifts afTure us, that its common Colour, when it is at reft:, 

 and in the Shade, is a bluilh grey; when 'tis expofed to the 

 Sun, this grey changes into a darker grey, inclining to a dun 

 Colour : If 'tis put on a black Hat, it appears to be of a violet 

 Colour. 



....Upon Excitation or Warming, fhe becomes fuddenly full 

 of little black Spots, equally difperfed on the fides, with fmall 

 black Streaks on the Eyelids ; all which afterward do vanifii. 

 The Skin is grain'd with globular Inequalities, hke the Leather 

 call'd Shagreen. The groflefi: Grain is about the Back and Head, 

 then on the Legs -, on the Sides and Belly, fineft; j which, per- 

 haps, in feveral Pofiures, may (hew feveral Colours ; and when 

 this Animal is in full Vigour, may alfo have in fome fort, i^^- 

 tionem SpccuU^ and refied; the Colours of Bodies adjacent j which, 

 together with the mixture of Colours in the Skin, may have given 

 occafion to the old Tradition, of nhangmg into all Colours *. 



A Certain curious Gentleman made the following Ex- 

 periment, when he lived ^t Smyriia, m Afia-miiior : He bought 

 fome Cameleons, to try how long they could be preferved alive 

 under Coiifinement ; he kept them in a large Cage, and allowed 

 them the Liberty to take the frefh Air, which they fuck'd In with 

 pleafure, and made them brifker than ordinary. He never faw 

 them either eat or drink, but feem'd to live on the Fluid in which 

 we breathe. 



The Antients were perfaaded that Cameleons fed upon the 

 Air, for which reafon one of the Fathers calls it a livifig Skhi-f; 

 but now it appears by Experience, that they feed upon different 

 Intedts, as Palmer-worms, LocuMs, Beetles, Flies, and alfo Leaves 



O of 



* Lo-jjthor^"s Ahv'uig. vol. ii. p. %i6. f Pellicula livit. Tsrtull de Pallio, cap. ]. 



