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in coming down ; whence we may gather, that the 

 chameleon more frequents trees than ground. Nor give 

 the motions of the eyes less cause of comical admira- 

 tion ; for he does not as other creatures, who turn both 

 eyes at once after the same object, but, something like 

 our squinters, not only looks two opposite ways at 

 once, but more, seeing right forward with one eye, and 

 looking up with the other aloft ; another while to the 

 ground with one, and sideling with the other : but, 

 which is yet stranger, it will draw one eye to its back, 

 and make a survey behind, while the other takes a 

 prospect forwards. They make at their meals also 

 merriment, neither picking as fowl, nor chewing like 

 cattle, nor sucking like lampreys and leeches ; but with 

 an odd and sudden flutter of the tongue, shot out near 

 a hand's breadth, ingurges the caught prey in a trice. 

 This member being nothing else but a hollow pipe, 

 fleshy and spongy, wherein are some sinews easier to 

 shut together than a gin or trap, because those nerves 

 proceeding from the os hyoides, and running through 

 the cavity, draw the same, after expansion, back again, 

 with its prey sticking to a glutinous stuff, wherewith it 

 is covered. This refutes the opinions of the ancients, 

 who believed the chameleon lived by air ; whereas, in 

 truth, it lives by such received nourishment as we have 

 declared. 



" It appropriates to itself another peculiar quality, 

 in the opinion of some old writers, who deliver that 

 the chameleon changes colour according to the several 

 objects presented ; first in the eyes, then in the tail, 

 after that in the whole body. And this alteration of 

 colours many authors conjecture, and, among others, 

 the Roman Panarolus affirms, to proceed from the 

 systole and diastole of the heart, which, according to 

 sensibility of heat or cold, beats quicker or slower ; 



