320 COMMON REPTILES OF AN INDIAN GARDEN 



rounded discs on their toes that enable them to 

 adhere to vertical surfaces, or even to the under 

 sides of horizontal ones, stand out very conspicuously 

 and give the feet a quaint resemblance to the 

 analogous structures by which certain climbing 

 plants, such as Ampelopsis Veitchii, support them- 

 selves in like situations. They have considerable 

 chameleonic power of adapting their colouring to 

 that of surrounding surfaces. This comes out very 

 clearly whenever one of them leaves a shadowy nook 

 behind a picture-frame for a place on a brilliantly 

 lighted white wall. On emergence he stands out in 

 high relief as a dark object, but presently begins to 

 fade, and in a short time acquires such a pallid 

 yellowish tint as to be hardly noticeable. During 

 my last year in Calcutta I was on very intimate 

 terms with a gecko, who constantly lived on the top 

 of my writing-table, and who, owing to the dark 

 colouring of his surroundings was of a deep brown 

 hue, even after he had emerged into the lamp-light. 

 There is endless amusement to be derived from 

 watching them whilst stalking and securing insects. 

 They usually approach their prey in a series of short, 

 breathless rushes, alternating with pauses of careful 

 watchfulness, until they are so close to it that special 

 caution is called for, and then they crawl slowly and 

 stealthily onwards to safe-striking distance. Small 

 insects generally give them no farther trouble after 

 having been seized, and are at once gulped down. 



