CHAMELEONS. 81 



In Loudon's ** Magazine of Natural History " 

 are recorded some particulars of two Chameleons, 

 which were sent from Malaga, in Spain, and 

 which lived in the possession of Mr. Slight 

 several months. They were kept unconfined in 

 a wicker-basket in a bow -window, and slept 

 many hours in the day, lying on a projecting 

 ridge of the wicker-work. During sunshine, 

 they flattened themselves, to expose a larger sur- 

 face to its influence, when they were usually of a 

 greenish stone-colour, and pale. If disturbed, 

 they contracted their abdomen, expanding the 

 ribs, and often became instantly of a dark green, 

 or even indigo green. Sometimes only one side 

 changed colour. The larger was vigorous, and in 

 health ; when awake, its eye (of a dark colour 

 and very lustrous) was turned in every direction, 

 the motions being by a kind of jerk, and very 

 rapid, as if in search of prey. Mr. Slight was 

 accustomed to put six or seven cockroaches in a 

 shallow tin vessel, and the Chameleon on its 

 edge, with its head projecting over the brim. 

 After making a circuit round a portion of the vessel 

 it would distend the throat-pouch, and stretching 

 forward its body on the fore-legs, it vi^ould sud- 

 denly dart out its tongue with such force as to 

 make a very sensible ring on the opposite side of 

 the tin. It would catch the insect in the trum- 

 pet-shaped extremity of the tongue, which was 

 retracted quick as lightning, and mastication and 

 swallowing followed. In this manner it would 

 take three or four insects from the vessel, but 

 fed only once in three or four days, and would 

 not eat hard-shelled beetles. They generally 

 slept on the top of the basket, their heads pro- 



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