Habits of the Chameleon. 233 
from Malaga, as a present to me, by Colonel Craig: they 
arrived by the Duke of York steam-packet, on the return of 
the staff of the troops from Portugal, and were kept in my 
drawingroom for months. The larger one was of a lightish 
sap-green colour; the smaller one, much darker. They were 
kept on a wicker basket in the haw winder , hot confined ; and 
slept many hours in the day, lying ona projecting ridge of the 
wickerwork. During the sunshine, the animals rendered 
themselves flat, with a view to expose themselves as much as 
possible to the influence of the warmth; and they were at 
these times often of a greenish stone colour, and pale. If, 
however, disturbed, they contracted the abdomen, expanding 
the ribs, and often Hesamne instantaneously of a dark green or 
even indigo green colour. Sometimes only one side “changed 
colour. ‘The larger one was apparently vigorous, and in 
health : when awake, its eye (of a dark colour, and very lus- 
trous) was constantly directed in every possible direction, the 
motions being by a kind of jerk, and very rapid, as if in search 
of food; of Sache however, it partook sparingly. I was 
accustomed to put the common cockroach, in number about 
six or seven, in a shallow tin vessel, and to place the chame- 
leon on the edge, its head projecting over the brim, to which 
its forceps were generally so firmly attached that it was often 
difficult to remove them. After making a circuit round some 
portion of the circle, the animal w ould Red the pouch be- 
neath the j jaws, expanding them two or three times in a tr ifling 
degree ; and, stretching forward its body on the fore legs, it 
would suddenly dart out its tongue with such force as to make 
a very sensible ring or noise on the opposite side of the tin; 
would catch the beetle or roach on the trumpet-shaped extre- 
mity of the tongue, which was retracted as quick as lightning, 
and mastication and deglutition followed. In this manner it 
would take three or four of the insects from the vessel ; but I 
could never induce it to take them from my hand, nor would 
it eat them when the mouth was opened, and the roach intro- 
duced with the fingers: a mode I was obliged to have recourse 
to with a view to feed the smaller one, which appeared lan- 
guid, and died about two months after its arrival. It would, 
however, swallow the large flesh fly, if introduced into its 
mouth, although there was some difficulty in opening the jaws 
contrary to the will of the animal. They slept generally on 
the top of the basket, the heads projecting over the edge, and 
the tails curled en one of the small divisions of wicker- 
work ; and it was curious to observe the firm attachment they 
had by this means. On going into the room with a candle, 
5 5 
the creatures always appeared of a pale ashy stone colour, or 
Von. All: —- Noi 13. <R 
