The American Chameleon Reptiles 
acts the same way, and the two fight viciously, each 
trying to bite off the other’s tail; when the victor 
succeeds, he is so proud that he keeps on bowing 
while he still holds in his mouth the tail of the 
vanquished, which continues to wriggle wrathfully as 
if it were still animated by the spirit of its owner. 
HOUSE 
The American chameleon will thrive in a moss 
garden with ferns, since it lives naturally in damp 
places. It should also have a plant or branches upon 
which to crawl about. 
FOOD 
This chameleon likes flies best of all, but it will also 
take meal worms presented at first on the point of a 
wire; it will soon, however, learn to take food from 
the fingers. It likes grasshoppers, cockroaches and 
many insects, but will not eat earthworms. 
CARE 
These little pets are thirsty creatures, and require 
much water; but they are in the habit of drinking 
dew from the leaves, and they do not know how to 
get water from a dish. Thus the leaves of the plant 
on which they live must be thoroughly sprinkled at 
least once a day. They will soon die unless they are 
thus given water. Care should be taken in handling 
the lizards, for their tails break off easily; however, a 
chameleon thus abbreviated will grow another tail 
after a time. 
REFERENCE 
Tur REPTILE Boox, Ditmars. 
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