CHAMELEON. 553 



of health, temperature of the weather, and many other causes, 

 and consisting chiefly in a sort of alteration of shades from the 

 natural greenish or blueish grey of the skin into pale yellowish, 

 with irregular spots or patches of dull red; but not justifying the 

 application of the Ovidian distich. 



'" Non mihi tot cultus numero comprendere fas est ; 

 Adjicit oruatus proxima quaeque dies." 



No numbers can the varying robe express, 

 While each new day presents a different dress. 



It is also to be observed, that the natural or usual colour of 

 chameleons varies very considerably; some being much darker than 

 others, and it has even been seen approaching to a blackish tinge. 

 An occasional change of colour is likewise observable, though in a 

 less striking degree, in some other lizards. 



The general length of the chameleon, from the tip of the nose 

 to the beginning of the tail, is about ten inches, and the tail is of 

 nearly similar length, but the animal is found of various sizes, and 

 sometimes exceeds the length above mentioned. It is a creature 

 of a harmless nature, and supports itself by feeding on insects ; for 

 which purpose the structure of the tongue is finely adapted, con- 

 sisting of a long, missile body, furnished with a dilated and some- 

 what tubular tip, by means of which the animal seizes insects with 

 great ease, darting out its tongue in the manner of a woodpecker, 

 and retracting it instantaneously with the prey secured in its tip. 

 It can also support a long abstinence, and hence arose the popular 

 idea of the chameleon being nourished by air alone. It is found 

 in many parts of the world, and particularly in India and Africa. 

 It is also sometimes seen in the warmer parts of Spain and Por- 

 tugal. 



The chameleon, by the power which it possesses in common with 

 most other amphibia, of inflating its lungs and retaining the air 

 for a great length of time, appears occasionally of a plump or 

 fleshy aspect, while at other times, on evacuating the air from its 

 lungs and keeping them in a collapsed state, it appears in the ut- 

 most degree of extenuation, as if consisting of little more than a 

 mere skin, the ribs being completely visible on each side of the 

 body. The skin on every part of the animal is of a granulated 



