OF SERPENTS. " 97 



not afFord a finer Variety of Shadowing, nor our fined Pldlures 

 more lively, fweet, and proportionable Drawing. 



F o R-the further Illuftration of this Subjedl, I fliall add fome- 

 thing from the Philofophical Tranfad;ions about a female Came- 

 leon, the Skin of which appear'd mixt of feveral Colours, like a 

 Medley-cloth. The Colours difcernable are green, a fandy yel- 

 low : And indeed one may difcern, or at leaft fancy, fome mix- 

 ture of all, or moft Colours in the Skin, whereof fome are more 

 predominant, at different times : There are fome permanent black 

 Spots on the Head, and Ridge of the Back. But our modern 

 Naturalifts affure us, that its common Colour, when it is at reft, 

 and in the Shade, is a bluifh grey ; when 'tis expofed to the 

 Sun, this grey changes into a darker grey, inclining to a dun 

 Colour : If 'tis put on a black Hat, it appears to be of a violet 

 Colour. 



.... Upon Excitation or warming, fhe becomes fuddenly full 

 of little black Spots, equally difperfed on the fides, with fmall 

 black Streaks on the Eyelids ; all which afterward do vanifh. 

 The Skin is grain'd with globular Inequalities, like the Leather 

 call'd Shagreen. The groffeft Grain is about the Back and Head, 

 then on the Legs ; on the Sides and Belly, fineft ; which, per- 

 haps, in feveral Poftures, may fhew feveral Colours ; and when 

 this Animal is in full Vigour, may alfo have in fome fort, Ra- 

 tionem Specidi, and reflecfl the Colours of Bodies adjacent ; which, 

 together with the mixture of Colours in the Skin, may have given 

 occafion to the old Tradition, of changing into all Colours*. 



A Certain curious Gentleman, made the following Ex- 

 periment, when he lived at Smyrna, in Afia-minor : He bought 

 fome Cameleons, to try how long they could be preferved alive 

 under Confinement ; he kept them in a large Cage, and allowed 

 them the Liberty to take the frefh Air, which they fuck'd in 

 with Pleafure, and made them brifker than ordinary. He never 

 faw them either eat or drink, but feem'd to live on the Fluid in 

 which we breathe. 



The Antients were perfuaded that Cameleons fed upon the 

 Air, for which reafon one of the Fathers calls it a living Skin -f- ; 

 but now it appears by Experience, that they feed upon different 

 Infedts, as Palmer-worms, Locufts, Beetles, Flies, and alfo Leaves 



O of 



* Lnathorfs Ahridg. yo). ii, p. %i6. + Pellicula vivit, Tertvll.de FalliOt cap. 3. 



