1883.] On the Habits of the American Chameleon. 92I 
be so inordinately fond. The cat will stalk one, just as we all 
have seen them attack some unsuspecting sparrow. Should the 
lizard be on the trunk of a tree, and low down near the ground, 
and the cat miss it in her spring, she will frequently, in her disap- 
pointment, chase it up the tree, where of course the reptile wins 
in such an unequal race. 
In the forest, Anolis, no doubt, has many another animal foe 
that makes it its prey. Our smaller hawks often seize and devour 
them, when they appear, and are exposed in the open. 
In addition to this, thec hameleon is subject to other accidents ; 
its long tail is frequently broken off; this may grow out again as 
it does in Ophisaurus, though I have in my possession a specimen 
where this extremity healed over instead. Another specimen in 
my collection, has some time or other, apparently long anterior 
to capture, lost a foot, in this case a very pretty little stump has 
resulted, leaving a member of considerable use. 
I have, perched up before me, one of these little fellows, that was 
taken for my special benefit several days ago ; the reader is pre- 
sented with a very careful and accurately measured drawing that 
I have made of him. They sometimes attain a length to exceed 
this one, by two or three centimeters, rarely more. His entire 
form is covered with the most delicate and minute scales, which 
are found to be larger along the borders of the jaws and top of 
the head, where they are regularly arranged. The nostrils are 
seen within the rounded border of the snout above, and the 
bright, black little eyes peep out through longitudinal slits form- 
ing the eyelids, the latter being at the base of rather sunken 
orbits. The oral gape is capacious, and the aperture leading to 
the internal ear is founda few millimeters to the rear of its commis- 
sure. In some specimens a jet black patch is found between the 
eye and ear, and another above the forearm on the side, sur- 
rounded by a whitish border; one or both of these markings 
may be absent, the anterior one being by far the most persistent. 
' During deep inspiration eight ribs may be counted on either side 
of this lizard’s body; these rarely show when the specimen is at 
rest and in good condition. See what peculiar feet he has, par- 
ticularly the hinder pair, and I have taken unusual pains to rep- 
resent these correctly, and to the best advantage. The fore feet 
are arranged quite symmetrically, but the toes on the rear pair 
an be spread out as shown in the cut, or drawn down, side by 
