HABITS OF CERTAIN REPTILES. 221 



Incidentally I may say that it is easy to hit a lizard with a 

 stone. They seem unable to judge its flight and make little 

 attempt to dodge it. 



If one endeavours to approach them they run off at a rapid rate 

 towards the nearest wall or tree, as they are able to scale a rough 

 perpendicular surface readily. 



When on the look-out for prey they mount a stone or other 

 point of vantage whence a more ready view of the neighbourhood 

 can be obtained. 



It is of course the common belief among the West Coast natives 

 as it is among country people even in England, that the lizard is 

 a venomous reptile. In connection with this point I have been 

 asked to take this opportunity to communicate with my own facts 

 an observation made by Mr. J, A. de Gaye, F.L.S., Science Master 

 at King's School, Lagos, on native superetition in regard to 

 chameleons. He thus describes an incident which he noticed in 

 July 1912, at Onitsha, a town about 200 miles from the mouth 

 of the Niger: — 



" While walking in the long grass not far from the Mission I 

 came across a couple of chameleons. The natives are very much 

 afraid of that animal. It is true that when disturbed it opens its 

 mouth wide as if to bite, but it is quite harmless. There is a 

 curious superstition about chameleons in ISTigeria. When I showed 

 my chameleons to my boy, he rushed back shivering with terror 

 and shouted, ' Massa, massa, this be plenty bad. If he go bite 

 you, he bite you all time. When thunder he dey come, then he 

 go fear, he go.' 



" I could not help laughing at the stupidity of the superstition, 

 and did my best to explain how foolish it was to believe in such 

 nonsense. It was of no avail, the only reply was, ' he be true, all 

 dem people dey go tell you so.' " 



Anyone familiar with the mind of the West African native 

 will know that such incidents can be paralleled wherever the 

 chameleon occurs. I remember how when I first went to the 

 coast I brought a chameleon home from the bush, and happening 

 to look into the kitchen to give an order as I was passing, I was 

 astonished to see the cook depart via the window, as I came in by 

 the door. 



He was an Accra man, and as far as I could make out on 

 questioning him, his dread of the beast was based less on its 

 supposed poisonovis powei-s than on its possession of power's 

 associated with the evil eye. This belief in the occult powers 

 of the chameleon is illustrated by another incident in my 

 experience. 



I had a chameleon in captivity, and a Benin boy who acted as 

 my gardener came to beg it of me, giving as his reason that 

 he wanted it for the purpose of making juju, but with what 

 particular idea I was unable to ascertain. 



