304 TRAVELS IN 
gerous to be approached, whllfl its little eyes, placed near the 
top of its fquare forehead, and the flefhy bags hanging from 
each cheek like an additional pair of ears, gave it a very 
hideous and frightful appearance. A great variety of lizards 
were obferved, and one in particular, in the agonies of death, 
reflected tranfient fhades of colors that were remarkably beauti- , 
ful. The permanent ones were cerulean blue and green, with 
a line down the back of dark-blue and yellow fpots ; tail 
marked with waved lines orange and ferruginous ; body muri- 
cated, eight inches long. Another fpecies, about a foot in 
length, was entirely of a brilliant yellow. Cameleons were 
alfo plentiful, particularly of the fmall fpecies peculiar to the 
Cape, the pum'ila of the Syftema Natura. This reptile is fup- 
pofed to be always found of the fame color with the body on 
which it may happen to reft. Though in general this, per- 
haps, may be the cafe, yet the rule does not always hold good. 
I have feen it remain black for many minutes, on a white 
ground, and white when placed upon a black hat. Previous to 
its affuming a change of color, it makes a long infpiration, the 
body fweUing out to twice its ufual fize ; and, as this inflation 
fubfides, the change of color gradually takes place. The only 
permanent marks are two fmall dark lines paffing along the 
fides. The cameleons are characterized from the reft of the 
lizard tribe by their perching on the extremities of the 
branches of flirubby plants, from whence, holding themfelves 
faft by their prehenfile tails, with outftretched tongue they 
catch the paffing flies. Hence feems to have originated the 
idea that this clafs of reptiles lived upon air. 
The 
