ffahiis of the ChameUoit, 2'3'5 



ii'om 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 bow-window, not confined ; and 

 slept many hours in the day, lying on a 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 became 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 which, 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 would distend the pouch be- 

 neath the jaws, expanding them two or three times in a trifling 

 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 mity of the tongue, which was retracted as quick as lightning, 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 evening the jaws 

 contrary to the will of the animal. They slept generally oh 

 the top of the basket, the heads projecting over the edge, and 

 the tails curled round 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, 

 the creatures always appeared of a pale ashy stone^ colour, o; 

 Vol, in. — No. 13. r ». ^ai. iO iijo J 



