TO 2 TKF, STOTvY 0V REPTILE LIFE. 



as to project far beyond the body wall in the 

 form of long slender rods. At the will of the 

 animal these "wings" can be folded up like a 

 fan. The ribs which take part in the formation 

 of this strange organ are these known as " float- 

 ing-ribs " they are those whose ends are uncon- 

 nected with the breastbone. Possibly in the 

 ancestral form, these ribs were unusually long, 

 and tended to broaden the body, thus by increas- 

 ing the surface and rendering leaping more safe 

 and easy. In course of succeeding generations 

 selection took place, favouring those with longest 

 ribs, until ultimately the Flying-Lizard of to-day 

 came into being. 



One would have imagined that the " flights " 

 of this lizard would be extensive, but so far the 

 evidence seems to show that this is not the case. 



The Flying-Lizards and the Chamseleons, now 

 to be described, stand alone among the lizard tribe 

 for the profound specialisation which they have 

 undergone in adaptation to an arboreal life. 



The Chamseleons have long since acquired fame 

 for their remarkable power of changing colour, 

 the which we shall discuss later. But the peculiarly 

 interesting structural changes which have taken 

 place in the skeleton are by no means so familiar. 

 To enter into details concerning this is no part 

 of the province of the present little work, suffice 

 it here to draw attention to the external character 

 only. One of the first things which must attract 

 the attention of the observer in watching these 

 strangely sluggish creatures is the feet. In both 

 fore and hind limbs the toes are not only remark- 

 .ably short, but arranged in a perfectly unique 



