The history of Sumatra : $b Containing an account of the government, laws, customs and manners of the native inhabitantsMarsden, William
History
The history of Sumatra : $b Containing an account of the government, laws, customs and manners of the native inhabitants
Marsden, William
Natural history -- Indonesia -- Sumatra; Sumatra (Indonesia)
phenomena were best observed at night when the lizard was on the outside
of a pane of glass, with a candle on the inside. There is, I believe, no
class of living creatures in which the gradations can be traced with such
minuteness and regularity as in this; where, from the small animal just
described, to the huge alligator or crocodile, a chain may be traced
containing almost innumerable links, of which the remotest have a
striking resemblance to each other, and seem, at first view, to differ
only in bulk.
CHAMELEON.
The chameleon, gruning: these are about a foot and half long, including
the tail; the colour, green with brown spots, as I had it preserved; when
alive in the woods they are generally green, but not from the reflection
of the leaves, as some have supposed. When first caught they usually turn
brown, apparently the effect of fear or anger, as men become pale or red;
but if undisturbed soon resume a deep green on the back, and a yellow
green on the belly, the tail remaining brown. Along the spine, from the
head to the middle of the back, little membranes stand up like the teeth
of a saw. As others of the genus of lacerta they feed on flies and
grasshoppers, which the large size of their mouths and peculiar structure
of their bony tongues are well adapted for catching.
(PLATE 14a. n.2. THE KUBIN, Draco volans.
Sinensis delt. A. Cardon sc.
Published by W. Marsden, 1810.)
The flying lizard, kubin, or chachak terbang (Draco volans), is about
eight inches in its extreme length, and the membranes which constitute
the wings are about two or three inches in extent. These do not connect
with the fore and hind legs, as in the bat tribe, but are supported by an
elongation of the alternate ribs, as pointed out by my friend Mr. Everard
Home. They have flapped ears, and a singular kind of pouch or alphorges,
under the jaws. In other respects they much resemble the chameleon in
appearance. They do not take distant flights, but merely from tree to
tree, or from one bough to another. The natives take them by springs
fastened to the stems.
FROGS. SNAKES.
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