162 NATURAL HISTORY READER. 



THE CHAMELEON. 



1. Opt has it been my lot to mark 



A proud, conceited, talking spark, 

 Returning from his finished tour, 

 Grown ten times perter than before : 

 Whatever word you chance to drop, 

 The traveled fool your mouth would stop, 

 " Sir, if my judgment you'll allow, 

 I've seen, and sure I ought to know." 

 So begs you pay a due submission, 

 And acquiesce in his decision. 



2. Two travelers of such a cast, 



As o'er Arabia's wilds they passed, 

 And on their way, in friendly chat, 

 Now talked of this, and then of that ; 

 Discoursed a while, 'mongst other matter 

 Of the chameleon's form and nature. 



3. "A stranger animal," cried one, 



" Sure never lived beneath the sun : 

 A lizard's body, lean and long, 

 A fish's head, a serpent's tongue, 

 Its tooth with triple claws disjoined, 

 And what a length of tail behind ! 

 How slow its pace ! and then its hue, 

 Whoever saw so fine a blue ! " 



4. " Hold there ! " the other quick replies , 

 ""Pis green : I saw it with these eyes, 

 As late with open mouth it lay, 



And warmed itself in the sunny ray ; 

 Stretched at its ease the beast I viewed, 

 And saw it eat the air for food." 



