FAMILY CHAMjELEONIDJE, OR CHAMELEONS. 555 



are sometimes placed with the one and sometimes with the other 

 of these orders by different naturalists. 



492. The family CHA&XLEONIDJE, or Chameleons, is dis- 

 tributed through the warmer parts of the Old World, but not in 

 America. The species it includes are distinguished from all 

 others, by several very remarkable peculiarities. Their bodies 

 are much compressed, or flattened sideways; and the back is 

 surmounted by a sharp ridge. Two of the toes are directed 

 backwards, opposing the three anterior ones, and thus forming 

 very efficient instruments of prehension. The tail also, which 

 is of a tapering form, is prehensile. The tongue is a hollow 



FIG. 322. CHAMELEON. 



tube, with a swollen fleshy extremity ; and it is capable of being 

 darted out instantaneously to a great distance, and of being as 

 rapidly drawn in. This organ is furnished with a glutinous 

 saliva ; by which the insect prey, that serve for the support of 

 these extraordinary Reptiles, are attached to it. The eyes of 

 the Chameleon are capable of being moved independently of each 

 other ; and they are constantly covered with a sort of eyelid, 

 in which there is a small aperture corresponding with the pupil. 

 Its skin is not furnished with scales, but is beset with horny 

 granules. It undergoes, as is well known, remarkable changes 

 of colour ; varying through different shades of yellow, red, 

 gray, brown, violet, and dull inky blue. This curious change is 

 said to be effected in the following manner. Beneath the epi- 

 dermis there is an immense number of minute, variously-colour- 

 ed granules, which become more or less extended, and change 



