6 The Florida Chameleon. [January, 
which contains the prettiest specimens of the lizard tribe. The 
specific name of our subject is Anolis principalis. I have not 
seen one picture of this exquisite little creature in the popular 
books but is a shameful caricature. So graceful is it that one 
cannot look at it long without forgetting its reptilian rank. The 
head is quite flat, and may be likened to a pyramid, with two of 
its opposite sides much wider than the other two. The teeth are 
very small and quite pretty, much like the teeth of the very 
finest jeweler’s saw. They are flattish, and pointed, triangular, 
and the back ones have on each side of the tooth a little spur, 
also the shape of the central part of the tooth. When first seen 
the feet present a striking appearance, owing to the very wide and 
sprawling divergence of the toes, each of which, except the fifth, 
which is almost rudimentary, is flattened out into a leaf-like 
spread at the last joint, or the joint next to the delicate, bird-like 
claw. The scales of the back and sides are so delicate as to give 
the appearance of a very fine shagreen. Altogether the animal 
has the aspect of grace and frailty. The one on my table meas- 
ures seven and a quarter inches from front of lip to tip of tail, 
which at its base is the one eighth of an inch in diameter, whence 
it tapers gradually until it ends in the thickness of a mere thread. 
Indeed, of the seven and a quarter inches total length, four and a 
quarter are taken up by the tail, so that the actual body is but 
three inches long. And this airy little body has hind limbs 
an inch and a half long, giving it great jumping power. In my 
specimens, contrary to the descriptions in the books, the normal 
color is a bronze-brown for the back and sides, with a central — 
stripe along the vertebral column of a steel-gray. This warm 
bronze is made deeper by the presence of innumerable minute 
markings of lines, zigzags, and chevrons, of a very dark brown. 
The entire under side is of an ashy or greenish white. 
Soon my pets made themselves at home. Two of them, how- 
ever, were evidently ailing. In fact, only one of them quite got 
over the rough experience already mentioned. The principal food 
furnished them was flies, of which they were very fond. We 
would put them into the fernery unhurt, so as to see the Anoles 
eatch them. The two ailing ones showed little energy in the 
matter, and, in truth, took their food daintily. The conduct of 
the other was very different. He would set himself up so pertly, 
and would cock his bright eyes so knowingly at us, and at a fly at 
the same time, that we came to regard him with special partial- 
ity. His movements were so quick and graceful, and withal he 
