80 SAURIA. — CHAMiELEONID^. 



tardily than in its advance. Wlien projected, 

 the tongue acquired a thickness equal to the 

 largest swan-quill, and a length not less, some- 

 times, than six or seven inches. Its consistence 

 I attempted on one occasion to ascertain, by 

 catching it between my fingers, when it imparted 

 the feel of an elastic body, }delding slightly when 

 pressed on, and expanding as soon as the pres- 

 sure was removed. The experiment only caused 

 a short delay in its progress, but neither altered 

 its form or course, nor unfastened the prey from 

 its extremity. 



" The tongue is probably the sole agent of the 

 Chameleon in obtaining food. Flies have often 

 rested on its body, and though it has looked wist- 

 fully at them., it has had no means of taking 

 them. I have frequently observed them on its 

 very lips, without any attempt being made to 

 seize them. Even when placed before it, if not 

 sufficiently distant to afford room for the neces- 

 sary evolution of the tongue, the Chameleon was 

 under the necessity of retiring for the purpose. 



" If the fly happened to be on a flat surface, so 

 placed as to oblige the creature to direct its 

 tongue perpendicularly against the surface, the 

 cupped extremity would adhere, for a short time, 

 in the same manner as a child's leather-sucker 

 does to a stone. But the animal seemed most 

 annoyed when seizing its prey on the sides of 

 its cage, which was made of paper, the down of 

 the paper sticking to the mucus on the tongue. 

 On one occasion when two Chameleons attempted 

 at the same moment to catch a fly placed be- 

 tween them, their tongues struck against each 

 otlier, and remained connected for a short time." 



