318 THE REASON WHIT: 



" Wak'd by his wanning ray, the reptile young 

 Come wing'd abroad ; by the Ii4ht air upborne, 

 Lighter, and full of souL" THCMSON. 



1015. The means by which this change of coiour is accomplished is a matter 

 of doubt. Some naturalists attribute it to tho distension of the chameleon's 

 body occasioning differences in the cuticle, affecting its reflective properties; 

 others, that the animal has the power of thi owing into its skin a different 

 pigment, or colouring matter, from the blood ; others, to nervous or galvanic action. 

 The chameleon, though long an object of interest and study, still presents many 

 remarkable characteristics demanding explanation. 



It appears, from the observations of Dr. Weisserborn, who had a chameleon for 

 Borne time in his possession, that the nervous currents in one half of the animal may 

 go on independently of those in the other, and that the animal has two lateral 

 centres of perception, sensation, and motion, besides the common one in which 

 must reside the faculty of concentration. " Notwithstanding the strictly symmetrical 

 structure of the chameleon, as to its two halves, the eyes move independently of 

 each other, and convey different impressions to their centres of perception. 

 The consequence is, that when the animal is agitated, its movements appear like 

 those of two animals glued together. Each half wishes to move its own way, and 

 there is no concordance of action. The chameleon, therefore, is not able to swim 

 like other animals ; it is so frightened if put into water, the faculty of con- 

 centration is lost, and it tumbles about as if in a state of intoxication. On 

 the other hand, when the creature is undisturbed, the eye which receives 

 the strongest impression propagates it to the common centre, and prevails 

 upon the other eye to follow that impression, and direct itself to the same 

 object The chameleon, moreover, may be asleep on one side, and awake on the 

 other. When cautiously approaching my specimen at night with a candle, so as 

 not to awaken the wb le animal by the shaking of the room, the eye turned towards 

 the flame would open and begin to move, and the corresponding side to change 

 colour, whereas the other side would remain for several seconds longer in its torpid 

 and changeable state, with its eye shut." 



1016. Why has the agama the power of inflating its body 

 with air? 



The use of this peculiar endowment 

 is not clearly r nderstood, though it is 

 believed that the animal has the 

 power of bri fling down insects, by 

 directing upon them a smart current 

 of air ? Assuming this to be the 

 case, the function is analogous to that 

 possessed by certain fishes, in the 

 chaetodon family, of bringing down 

 insects by emitting jets of water. 



