3. That everything remarkable in the changes of colour in the Chameleon
may be explained by the appearance of the pigment of the deeper layer to
an extent more or less considerable, in the midst of the pigment of the
superficial layer, or from its disappearance beneath this layer.
4. That these displacements of the deeper pigment do in reality occur;
and it is a probable consequence that the Chameleon's colour changes
during life, and may continue to change even after death.
5. That there exists a close analogy between the mechanism by the help
of which the change of colour appears to take place in these reptiles,
and that which determines the successive appearance and disappearance of
coloured spots in the mantles of several of the cephalopods.
Chameleons are found in warm climates of the old world, South of Spain,
Africa, East Indies. Isles of Sechelles, Bourbon, France, Moluccas.
Madagascar (where it is said there are seven of the species which belong
to Africa), Fernando Po, and New South Wales. In the year 1860, a new
and curiously formed species of Chameleon was brought from the interior
of the Old Calabar district of West Africa, by one of the natives. It is
characterised by three horny processes on the head. Many Lizards have
singular spiny projections on all parts of the body; but this very well
marked species had not been hitherto recorded.
Mrs. Belzoni, the wife of the celebrated traveller in the East, made
some careful observations upon the habits of Chameleons, which are worth
quoting. The Arabs in Lower Egypt catch Chameleons by jumping upon them,
flinging stones at them, or striking them with sticks, which hurts them
very much. The Nubians lay them down gently on the ground, and when
they come down from the date-trees, they catch hold of the tail of the
animal, and fix a string to it; therefore the body does not get injured.
Mrs. Belzoni had some Chameleons for several months in her house, and
her observations are as follows:--
"In the first place they are very inveterate towards each other, and
must not be shut up together, else they will bite each other's tails and
legs off.
[Illustration: CHAMELEONS.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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