EKPTTLE3. 267 



venomous and highly dangerous. Besides the depressed form 

 of the body, they are eminently distinguished by having the 

 feet palmated, or rather lobed and dilated into discs." * In 

 consequence of this peculiarity of structure they can ascend 

 walls, and even run along ceilings. They lurk in crevices 

 during the day, and come forth at night in pursuit of their 

 insect food. 



Perhaps, however, there are no reptiles to which a greater 

 degree of popular interest attaches than to the Chameleons 

 {Fig. 229). They are exclusively natives of the warm paits 



Fig. 229.— Chamelhos. ^VA 



of the Old World, and exhibit several structural peculiarities. 

 Like other Lizards they have five toes ; but they are divided 

 into two parcels, and thus adapted for climbing. The tail also 

 serves as an instrument for prehension. The eyes have such 

 independent powers of motion that they can be turned in the 

 most opposite directions at the same time. The tongue is of 

 great length, and is terminated by an adhesive disc, which 

 they dart out with unerring aim at their insect prey. We 

 have watched for hours their sluggish and almost inanimate 

 appearance, though even at such times they occasionallv mani- 

 fest the singular changes of colour for wl-.ich they are so cele- 

 brated. These, however, are not to the extent set forth in a 

 well-known poetical composition, with which ever}* sehool-boy 

 is familiar ; but after all allowance for poetical exaggeration, 

 the phenomenon is sufficiently curious to have been for a long 

 time one that naturalists were unable to explain. It was re- 

 served for Milne Edwards to solve the problem, f He has 

 shown that there exist, in the skin of these animals, two layers 



" Swainson on Fishes, Amphibia, and Reptiles. 



+ Annales des Sciinces Naturelles. January, 1834. 



