152 Transactions of the Boyal Society of South Africa. 
the variability in colouration during excitement or in response to different 
environments. 
On the ground the adults often remain quite motionless on the 
approach of man, for the general colour is a dull dark brown or dull 
uniform grey, very much in accordance with the prevailing colours of the 
surroundings; the young ones are paler and have a more or less distinct 
colour pattern, the shades of which vary with the surroundings. At 
other times, especially in trees, they show the most gorgeous hues and 
splendent lustre. Miss Wilman, who saw them on bushes in the 
Kalahari, writes: "They were so brilliantly coloured that even from a 
distance they resembled huge splendid flowers — in fact I never saw more 
wonderful colouring, even in parrots or other birds." 
In the breeding season the breast and sides of the abdomen become 
brick-red, the head acquires a vivid blue colour, and the scales near the 
vertebral line assume divers shades of blue, purple, and red ; the throat 
becomes bluish black, or white with wavy black lines, and develops a 
distinct pouch which hangs down conspicuously. When teased the 
colours in general, within a minute or so, become more vivid, and in 
females especially a regular colour pattern becomes definitely marked out 
dorsally, whilst a double row of scarlet blotches appears along the back ; in 
these blotches the colour extends even to the tips of the scales. This pattern 
is fairly uniform, and is of the same type as that of distanti or hrachyura. 
They will also make appropriate colour changes when placed in dark 
or light environments. 
Though the adults are not particularly shy, and often slow of move- 
ment, the juveniles are very quick. 
When molested they are apt to inflict a deUberate and painful bite. 
Two males engaged in a fight were observed on September 9, 1911 : the 
vertebral crest from head to tail was strongly and acutely erected, whilst 
the gular fold, almost black in colour, was inflated to about three times its 
normal size. Near Kimberley they pass the winter under stones or old 
tins on the open veld. Hibernation, which is long and deep, takes place 
on the first approach of cold weather. 
This species is both insectivorous and herbivorous ; it is often found 
impaled on thorn-trees, a victim of the butcher-birds. 
Externally they are often infested with small scarlet ticks, sometimes 
in great numbers. 
The eggs number from fourteen to seventeen, and measure about 
14 X 10 mm., being oval and not calcareous. 
Agama atea Daud. ; B.M. Cat., I., 352. 
Taungs (P. Court) ; Immigrant (E. B. Eve) ; Eiverton (G. Messine) ; 
Kimberley (E. F. Fitzpatrick, J. H. Power, T. E. Seffcon, M. Terents) ; 
