THE LIZARD KIND. 357 



either sports upon the edges of rivers, or resides upon 

 different branches of trees ; and chiefly feeds upon the 

 flowers of the mahot, or upon the leaves of the mapon. 

 The method of taking this valuable animal, which is 

 generally sought after for the delicacy of its food, is 

 by fastening a noose to the end of a stick, and beating 

 along the sides of rivers, or among the branches of dif- 

 ferent trees. 



The camelion is a different animal to the iguana ; 

 and, instead of feasting the body of the epicure, is a 

 treat to the philosopher's mind ; for the various changes 

 which it exhibits, and the different colours which at in- 

 tervals it appears to disclose, has long made it an object 

 of attention to the curious, though they have never ex- 

 actly ascertained the cause by which they are produced. 



The size of this animal frequently varies, though they 

 never exceed more than eleven inches in length, but by 

 some singular power it frequently dilates its whole body, 

 until it appears twice as large as before it began to 

 swell : and this extension generally remains for two 

 hours together, when by degrees it returns to its na- 

 tural size. 



The surface of the skin is extremely unequal, and has 

 a grain upon it which bears some resemblance to sha- 

 green ; but the variation of colours appears to depend 

 upon the different effects of light and shade. When- 

 ever the light comes upon the body, a kind of tawny 

 brown seems to be displayed, whilst that part of the 

 skin on which the sun has no influence seems covered 

 with spots of yellow, crimson, or red ; and when its 

 rays are no longer perceptible, the whole skin becomes 

 a lightish grey, 



Like the crocodile, this little animal is produced 

 from an egg, and generally resides in the branches of 

 AA 3 



