924 On the Habits of the American Chameleon. (Sept 
tremities of the grass blades, and the heavy pair of limbs | 
spring from the metathorax were long and slender, so as to assist 
it in the deception. These insects, upon being alarmed, insteat 
of taking to flight as the other varieties. did, simply, and v | 
marked deliberation, shuffled down backwards to the pointed i 
quietly hung there, where it demanded a pretty sharp pair 
eyes to detect them, particularly if a breeze kept the grass in mc 
tion at the time. i oN 
Chameleons placed in alcohol for preservation, change in: 
pears, the under parts often become so mottled as to mask 
white entirely ; it commonly brings out in strong relief the! 
gitudinal stripes on the gular space; the mottling on the upper 
parts, is likewise made far more evident than in the living rept 
The iris of Anolis, during life is of a bright hazel, with a perfectly 
round pupil. When taken in the hand, they generally throw 
jaws far apart and viciously seize any part of that member, that : 
may ‘come within their reach. The bite of the larger specimens 
is quite asevere little nip, but I have never seen a case WHEE 
their delicate teeth could inflict a wound of sufficient depth, so í 
to bring the blood. They will hang on for a long time, ton 
usually than our patience will hold out, and it generally i 
in our detaching them by the free hand. .No doubt, as tr 
as this bite may be, it often saves the life of our char 
as the unsuspicious, or children’ who pick them up out of i 
ity’s sake, upon being suddenly pinched in that way, are 
to involuntarily wring the hand until the lizard looses : 
and promptly makes its escape in the grass or elsewhere. a 
During the morning hours, among the trees, the ch ) 
are rarely seen) but as the sun approaches the zenith, an : 
recesses of the forest begin to be thoroughly warmed, — : 
fellows may be observed descending the trunks of the tre 
engage in their favorite hunting expeditions, about the 
roots that are exposed above the ground at their nesta 
they capture all manner of insects which constitute j 
and it is during these feeding times that wé have sg. 
‘to behold some of their quaintest movements. : ge : 
nate, not long ago, to catch one in the-act, the instant | ‘The ot 
made a successful spring upon rather a large butterfly. me 
