LIZARDS. 151 
is placed in the sub-order Lhiptoglossa, an order whose members 
are able to shoot out their tongue in order to catch their prey. 
As the Chameleon is extremely slow and deliberate in its move- 
ments, the tongue may be well said to be the most agile part of 
the creature. The wonderful activity of the tongue makes up, in 
a sense, for the great sluggishness of the rest of the parts of the 
animal. The tongue is very long, longer often than the Reptile’s 
body—worm-like in form, and provided with a club-shaped end. 
This end is covered with a viscous secretion. The tongue is also 
hollow to a great extent, and when not in use is folded in a telescopic 
manner and packed away in the capacious mouth of the Lizard. 
The Chameleon’s manner of taking food is very interesting and 
eurious. After waiting until its prey is in a suitable position, it 
slightly moves its tongue, without hardly separating the jaws, as 
if to supply the tongue’s end with a sufticient amount of adhesive 
matter. This latter action is followed by the opening of the 
mouth and the slow protrusion of the tongue to the distance of 
about lin. and then the succeeding movement is so extremely 
rapid that the eye can scarcely follow it. The insect, however, 
has disappeared, and the Chameleon is seen slowly crushing some- 
thing between its jaws. The Chameleon generally waits until the 
prey is within from 3in. to 6in. before it attempts a shot with its 
tongue. It does not often miss. It is prudent in this matter, 
for it appears to take every precaution to ensure success, such as 
rarely attacking an insect when it is moving rapidly, and pressing 
its body forward without unclasping the claws, and so lessening 
the distance between itself and its victim. 
Occasionally, when the Chameleon strikes with its tongue, say, 
avery large cockroach, which is clinging to any object, the 
secretion at the end of the Reptile’s tongue fails to be sufficiently 
adhesive, and the tongue’s end returns to its owner without 
booty ; but a second shot at the shaken and astonished animal 
generally effects a capture. The tongue of the Chameleon is so 
extraordinary that no other creature has one anything like it. 
The five toes on each foot are arranged in two sets, three in one 
set and two in the other. The set containing two claws is placed 
on the outside on the fore-feet, and on the inside on the hind-feet. 
The feet are really grasping organs, or hands. 
