338 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. 



the common variety being otherwise found in central Asia 

 and Ceylon. There are several genera and numerous species. 

 They live on insects and possess tongues of unusual length, 

 furnished with a sticky mucus, which they protrude and re- 

 tract with such rapidity and certainty of aim that insects 

 are caught and conveyed to the mouth with a speed the 

 eye cannot follow. The characteristic for which they are 

 most famous is that of changing their colour, a power which 

 has doubtless been much exaggerated, but which no less 

 surely exists. Mrs. Bowdich describes some she had in her 

 possession ; she says, " Mine became green and yellow, as- 

 sumed lighter and brighter lines, but I could not see the 

 bright blue or red substances on which I put them reflected in 

 their skins." According to M. D'Obsonville, who is quoted 

 by Mrs. Bowdich, the original colour is green, the shades of 

 which vary according to circumstances. When at liberty, 

 and in health, it assumes gradations of brown, red, or light 

 grey ; when well-fed and in the open air, if provoked, it 

 becomes a blue-green ; but when feeble, or deprived of free 

 air, the prevailing tint is yellow-green. If surrounded and 

 teased or if one of it« own species comes near, it exhibits all 

 three tints of green. If dying, especially of hunger, yellow 

 first predominates ; and when dead, it is the colour of dead 

 leaves. 



The Iguana. The Common Iguana, which sometimes attains 

 to a length of five feet, belongs to South America. It is a 

 singular-looking animal, but is much esteemed as an article 

 of food, its flesh resembling that of chickens. When taken 

 young it may be tamed by kindness, but otherwise it is fierce 

 when attacked, and its bite is very severe. It is said that the 

 natives of the Bahama Islands, who subsist largely on the 

 Iguana, sew up their mouths to prevent their biting when they 

 wish to keep them alive for a time. 



The Common The Common Lizard and the Sand Lizard are 

 liizard. the varieties found in England. The Common 



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