AFRICAN CHAMELEON. 



or Men without mouths, in PUny ; suitable unto 

 the relation of the Mares in Spain, and their sub- 

 ventaneous conceptions from the western wind ; 

 and in some way more unreasonable than the 

 figment of Rabicatt, the famous horse in AriostOy 

 which being conceived by flame and wind, never 

 tasted grass, or fed on any grosser provender than 

 air ; for this way of nutrition was answerable unto 

 the principles of his generation ; which being not 

 airy but gross and seminal in the Chamceleon^ unto 

 its conservation there is required a solid pasture, 

 and a food congenerous unto the principles of its 

 nature." 



Besides the Common Chameleon, different races 

 appear to exist, which are principally distinguished 

 by their colour, and the more or less elevated state 

 of the angular or crested part of the head. These, 

 which Linnaeus was content to consider as varie- 

 ties, are now raised to the dignity of species, and 

 are thus distinguished in the Gmelinian edition of 

 the Systema Naturas. 



AFRICAN CHAMELEON. 



Lacerta Africana. L. nigra pileo carinato. Ian, Syst. Nat, 



Gmel. p, 1069. 

 Blackish Chameleon, with carinated crown. 

 Chamaeleo ex Africa colore nigricante, at pectine albo supra 



dorsum decoratus. Seb, Mus. I. p. 134. t. 83./. 4. 



This, says Seba, came from the coasts of Bar- 

 bary, and is one of the largest yet known : along 



