108 RANDOM OBSERVATIONS OF CHAMELEONS 
RANDOM OBSERVATIONS OF CHAMELEONS 
By Francis Burmeister. 
Chameleons seem to prefer to rest on the dry sticks of dead 
bushes rather than on anything green. 
Only one have I seen on fairly green grass, and that was 
after a heavy shower. 
It was a small one, quite black, and when picked up struggled 
to escape and tried to bite, in fact was really very agile for 
one of its species. 
They all appear to assume a threatening attitude and give 
vent to a subdued hiss, when touched. 
One actually bit my finger ; but although the teeth were 
sharp, its jaws were not sufficiently powerful to enable it to 
draw blood. 
Several times I have put them on a green creeper, but all, 
with one exception, soon moved off on to the grass thatch. 
The exception stayed for over a week, laboriously crawling 
down the stems near to the ground during the day, in the hope 
of catching flies, and coming up again in the evening to sleep. 
It chose the same spot nearly every night. The flies were 
few, and when all the Aphides within its limited range were 
devoured, and I am not sure that small spiders did not also 
fall victims, it moved on to the more congenial habitat, dry 
grass, and disappeared. 
The capability of colour change is very poor. Dull drabs, 
browns, yellows, and greys are the favourite shades, as these 
shades are more in harmony with their surroundings. On 
occasion, however, they can illuminate a row of oblong spots 
on either side of the back, with brighter and different colours 
from the rest of the body. 
The colours are more intense on the side exposed to a 
strong light. 
There appears to be a certain set of cells in each spot, which 
can only be flushed with its own particular colour. 
All endeavours to get a vivid and decided colour were in vain. 
The poor reptile rolled its eyes wearily around and did its 
best, which was very feeble ; and either crawled away or went 
to sleep. 
