110 
POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
observed only in captivity. 1ST o one seems to bave witnessed 
the batching of tbe egg s, or to bave determined tbe period of 
incubation. Brehm found that many females, ‘even tbe 
strongest and healthiest/ die before or soon after tbe breeding 
season is over. He gives an interesting extract from Yallisneri, 
who noticed that one of bis captive Cbamacleons was for some 
days restless on her perch. Thence she slowly descended, 
moved about for a while, and at length paused in a corner of 
the floor of her box, which was covered with hard earth. In 
this she made a hole with one of her forepaws. For two days 
she worked, digging a pit about ten centimetres wide and 
fifteen deep. In this pit she now laid more than thirty eggs, 
and then, as she retired, pushed back the earth with her hind- 
feet, treating the heap of eggs as cats do their dung. Finally, 
she covered the heap with straw, dried twigs, and withered 
leaves. 
That the Chan^aeleon bears living young is often untruly 
said. It is well known that in many so-called viviparous 
reptiles the egg is detained in the oviduct and there developed. 
What is thus normal in these may possibly occur as a rare (or 
pathological) exception in the Chamseleon. But full proof is 
wanting. 
EXPLANATION OF PLATE III. 
{All the figures are of the natural size.) 
Fig. 1. Rhampholeon spectrum, Giinther, from the Camaroon Mountains. 
Male. 
Fig. 2. The same. Female. 
Fig. 3. Chamceleon gallus, Giinther, from Madagascar. Male. 
Fig. 4. Head of Male Chamceleon montium, Giinther, from the Camaroon 
Mountains. 
Fig. 5. The same. Female. 
Fig. 6. Head of the Male Chamceleon Owenii, from Fernando Po. 
Fig. 7. The same. Female. 
