550, AMPHIBIALA. 



seldom, and live long without food. Wolves are said to gorge 

 themselves with mud, to supply the want of better food. For the 

 like cause nmnv alligators swallow stones and other substances, to 

 distend and prevent the contraction of their intestines when empty, 

 and not to help digestion, which they. seem in no need of. For in 

 the greater number of many I have opened, nothing has appeared 

 but clumps of light wood and pieces of pine tree coal, some of 

 which weighed eight pounds, and were reduced and wore so smooth 

 from their first angular roughness, that they seemed to have re- 

 mained in them many months. They lay a great number of eggs 

 at one time, in the sandy banks of rivers and lakes, which are 

 hatched by the heat of the sun without further care of the parents. 

 The young, as soon as they are disengaged from their shells, be- 

 take themselves to the water, and shift for themselves ; but while 

 young they serve as a prey not only to ravenous fish, but to their 

 own species. It is to be admired that so vast an animal should at 

 first be contained in an egg no bigger than that of a turkey.*' 



'* In South Carolina they are very numerous, but the northern 

 situation of that country occasions their being of a smaller size 

 than those nearer the line, and they rarely attack men or cattle, 

 yet are great devourers of hogs. In Carolina they lie torpid from 

 about October to March, in caverns and hollows in the banks of 

 rivers, and at their coming out in the spring, make an hideous bel- 

 lowing noise. The hind part of their belly and tail are eat by the 

 Indians. The flesh is delicately white, but has so perfumed a taste 

 and smell that I never could relish it with pleasure." 



[Shaw. Gates by. 



SECTION IV. 



Chameleon. 

 Lacerta chamaeleon. Linn. 

 Few animals have been more celebrated by natural historians 

 than the chameleon, which has been sometimes said to possess the 

 power of changing its colour at pleasure, and of assimilating it to 

 that of any particular object or situation. This, however, must 

 be received with very great limitations; the change of colour which 

 the animal exhibits varying in degree, according to circumstances 



