EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT. 149 



brown body was brilliantly imprinted in pale yellow with the out- 

 lines of the mesh, where the shadow from the wire screen had 

 rested on the reptile. This pattern faded away within twenty 

 seconds. 



The common colors of the Chameleon are grayish brown, green 

 with irregular patches and spots of a lighter shade, or, when ex- 

 posed to moderately strong sunlight, brown with ocellse of green 

 or yellow. From these phases the creature varies. To sum up 

 our observations on this lizard, it appears that the changes of 

 color are influenced involuntarily mainly by light, temperature, 

 excitement and the health of the individual. Few chameleons ex- 

 hibit a definite color pattern. Indistinct stripes, spots and ocellae 

 come and go with the changing shades of the body. 



Rivalling the Chameleon in abrupt changes of color is a North 

 American lizard, the Anolis, also called "'Chameleon" (Anolis 

 carolinensis) . In its agility this little creature exhibits a marked 

 contrast to the African reptile, and it is a highly interesting and 

 easily procured example of the character under discussion. Be- 

 ing an inhabitant of an area where changes of temperature are 

 frequent, and likewise so prolonged that the reptile hibernates 

 during the colder months, it does not appear to display the sensi- 

 tive color changes due to temperature, as noted in the Old World 

 Chameleon. Light and excitement, however, strongly affect this 

 reptile. The writer has observed two male specimens, previously 

 a velvety brown as they sported in the sunshine, suddenly ap- 

 proach each other and engage in combat, which with one termi- 

 nated in the loss of the larger portion of its tail. Within half a 

 minute after the fighting began, which was accompanied by an 

 energetic bobbing of heads and frequent dilations of the throat 

 fan, the participants had become a beautiful shade of emerald 

 green. On watching the victor as he triumphantly strutted along 

 a fence rail with the writhing tail of the victim in his jaws, it was 

 noted that the green soon faded. Dropping the souvenir of bat- 

 tle, the reptile settled down to rest and bask, and within two or 

 three minutes after the fracas it had faded to a dull yellow, 

 which soon gave way to the sober brown first noted. 



In collecting these lizards and placing them in wire-covered 

 boxes, the writer has invariably noticed their change from a 

 variety of shades prior to capture to the same emerald hue in a 

 scrambling collection of several dozen individuals. If the collect- 

 ing box be laid down for a few moments and left undisturbed, 

 the lizards acquire a brownish tint, but as soon as the box is again 

 carried about, and the occupants become shaken up and fright- 

 ened, the brilliant green appears on all. When sleeping, this Hz- 



