THE AMERICAN CHAMELEON 
IN the Coast region of the Southern United 
= States we too have a chameleon, which is 
often called the Green Lizard. But ours 
lacks the grotesque form of the European 
chameleon; its tail is about as long as 
the body, but is not used to twist about twigs. 
However, our chameleon lives also on trees and 
bushes, where it catches insects by stalking them, as 
a cat does its prey; and it also has the wonderful 
ability to change its hue. This change is not a 
matter of will, but is largely a result of temperatures, 
light and emotion. When sleeping, our chameleon is 
apple green; when angry or frightened, it is bright 
green; in the sunlight it is likely to be dark brown, 
and sometimes it is slate-colored, and sometimes 
yellowish. There is a theory that this change of 
color is for the purpose of rendering the creature 
inconspicuous against its background, and we have 
seen one of them lying partially upon a log, and 
partially upon a vine, and the part on the vine was 
green, and the part on the log was brown. However, 
the scientific authorities seem to think that this may 
be chance. It would be most interesting if those who 
keep such lizards as pets would make careful observa- 
tions upon this particular point, especially when the 
chameleon is neither frightened nor excited. 
The male chameleon has a peculiar pouch beneath 
its throat, which is a means of expressing his emo- 
tions. When trying to attract his mate he expands 
this pouch and nods his head vigorously as if saying, 
“Yes, yes, yes!’ But when he sees a rival male he 
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