160 NATURAL HISTORY READER. 



position of absolute quietude — his belly resting on a hori- 

 zontal branch, which he grasps as firmly as he can with all 

 five hands (for his tail is a fifth hand) — he first advances 

 one of the fore-paws one step ; then the tail is relaxed, 

 advanced an equal distance, and again coiled tight ; next 

 the other feet are advanced a step, one after another ; and 

 so on. It is not easy to recognize the propriety of the name 

 little Hon (Chammleon) given to this reptilian tardigrade by 

 the ancient Greeks. And the animal is as harmless as it is 

 slow of movement, though the ancients supposed that in 

 the dog-days it assumes some of the lion's ferocity. 



7. The large, projecting eyeballs of the chameleon are 

 capable of a great variety of movements ; and, what is very 

 curious, each of them may, and usually docs, act inde- 

 pendently of the other. This circumstance compensates 

 for the fixedness of the head, enabling the animal to direct 

 its glances on all sides, without the necessity of calling into 

 play any muscles save those of the eyeball. Still, when 

 about to strike, the chameleon brings both of its eyes to 

 bear upon the object. 



8. " Notwithstanding," says Weissenbaum, " the strictly 

 symmetrical construction of the chameleon as to its two 

 halves, the eyes move independently of each other, and 

 convey different impressions to the different centers of 

 perception : the consequence is that, when the animal is 

 agitated, its movements appear like those of two animals 

 glued together. Each half wishes to move its own way, 

 and there is no concert of action. The chameleon, there- 

 fore, is not able to swim like other animals ; it is so fright- 

 ened when put into water that the faculty of concentration 

 is lost, and it tumbles about as if in a state of intoxication. 

 Nay, more, the chameleon may be asleep on one side and 

 awake on the other." 



9. The chameleon is often seen to inhale air, gulp after 

 gulp, with great avidity, thus inflating its body enormously, 



