ORDER SAURIA. ^ ^35 



take it in his hand, and put his finger into its mouth without 

 any apprehension or danger of being bitten. Some assert 

 that it cannot utter any thing like a genuine cry — others, 

 that it sends forth a slight hissing noise when it is surprised 

 and laid hold of. 



" But," says M. de Lacepede, " whether the cameleon 

 climbs along the trees, whether, concealed under the leaves, 

 it waits patiently for the insects which constitute its food, or 

 whether, in fine, it walks upon the ground, in every situation it 

 appears to equal disadvantage. It presents neither agreeable 

 proportions in its form, nor grace, nor lightness in its gait. 

 It moves with the utmost circumspection. As it cannot grasp 

 the branches on which it is desirous to climb, it assures itself, 

 at every step, that its claws have well entered into the fissures 

 of the bark. When on the ground, it gropes along, never 

 raising one foot until it is certain of the position of the 

 other three. All these precautions impart a sort of gravity 

 to its gait, at once ludicrous and awkward." 



The cameleon then would never have attracted the atten- 

 tion of those who confine their observation to the most pro- 

 minent objects of the animal kingdom, if the faculty of 

 presenting according to its different states, colours more or 

 less varied, had not rendered it celebrated for so long a 

 period. 



These colours, in fact, change with equal frequency and 

 rapidity, but it is by no means true, that they are deter- 

 mined by those of surrounding objects. Their shades depend 

 on the volition of the animal, on the state of its feelings, 

 on its good or bad health, and are besides, subordinate to 

 climate, to age, and to sex. 



It was believed in the time of Pliny, that no animal was 

 so timid as the cameleon, and, in fact, not having as we have 

 observed, any means of defence, and being unable to secure 

 its safety by flight, it must frequently experience internal 



