HABITS OF THE CHAMELEON. 141 



nate later than other animals of the same class, 

 their favorite retreats being gardens and old build- 

 ings; they often retire to greenhouses or conserva- 

 tories, where they may be frequently seen active, 

 even in winter, but never of that rich yellow-green 

 as in the summer season. In the spring season they 

 are extremely quarrelsome; two males seldom meet 

 without a furious battle, which frequently results in 

 the loss of part of the tail, or some other injury, to 

 one or both of the combatants. Before the contest, 

 the animal usually remains stationary for a moment, 

 elevates and depresses his head several times, inflates 

 his gular sac, which now becomes of a bright vermil- 

 ion, and then suddenly springs at his enemy. After 

 the first heats of spring have passed, they become 

 less quarrelsome, and many are seen quietly living 

 together in the same neighborhood; they retain at 

 all times the habit of inflating the sac, even when 

 quietly basking in the sun, and at those times the 

 coloring of the animal has the liquid brilliancy of the 

 emerald."* 



Dr. R. W. Shuf eldt has also given a most entertain- 

 ing account of the habits of this handsome lizard, the 

 closing paragraph of which I quote: "The season 

 approaches when Florida, recovering from the tempo- 

 rary shock caused by her mock winter, again puts 

 forth the natural jewels of her animal and vegetable 

 kingdoms, again presents us with fresh flowers and 



*N.Am.Herp.,I,1836, p.69. 



