398 



NATURAL HISTORY. 



skiii. especially as those on the neck, catch and glance the sunlight. That 

 deep amber La now mellowing into a yellowish brown. A minute more, 

 and it has a bronze coppery tint. Now it runs into an olive-green; anon, 

 a leek-green ; at last a pale but bright pea-green. Through all this color- 

 transformation, on the back there is a medial line, extending from the 

 head to the tail, which is always of a paler hue than all the rest. As to 

 the under parts, the customary ashiness is all gone. It is white; but such 

 a white! not glaring, but soft. In fact, I think the tiny scales are now 

 sel a little on edge, thus giving the white the aspect of frosted silver. 

 The back, as was said, is green; but now I observe what I have very 



-(Mom seen, that, so to speak, over this green is a bloom, so that it looks 

 like a frosted green. It is observable that the top of the flat head dog- 

 gedly retains its dark normal brown. As to the eyelids in this matter of 

 '•('lor. I think they are the most to be admired. Each of these little bril- 

 liant orbs in constant motion is a perpetual twinkle. In ordinary repose 

 the eyelids are a pretty, pale ltrown. But these organs are especially sus- 

 ceptible of color-change. Not only will they run rapidly through the 

 whole scale, but the positive colors will be spread in such decided and 

 rapid contrast that it seems as if the order were set to the kev-note of a 

 humor which k is alone high fantastical.' These winking eyelids emulate 

 the gems. Now a palish brown, they are smoky topazes. Instantly they 



