The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1854-04-15
ttnr tbr Eups anh &irl5.
TIiE CIfANE LEON.

u,ier. Like the crocodile, this little animal
proceed, from an egg; and it also nearly re-
.rmblcs ih,t forni liable creature in form; bit
it ditlerssmi:lely in its size and appetites, be-
ing no: above eleven inches lon: land delight
in. to sit Upon trees, being afraid Of serrents.
from which it is unable to escape On the
.roun,l The head of large chameleon is
ONLY two inches long and thence to the be-
ginning ofthc tail, four and half; the tail
Is five inches long and the feet two and
half the thickness of the body is different
at fines: for sometimes, from the back to the
lrlIv, it is two inches and sometimes bu: ore:
for it can blow itself up, and contract itself,
at pleasure. This swelling and contraction
is not only Of the back and belly, but Of the
legs and tail.
These different tumors do not proceed from
diIataton OF the breast in breathing. which
rises AMI falls by turns, but are very irrcgu
lar. anl seem adopted merely from caprice.
The chameleon is often secn,as it were blown
up tor two hours together and then it con-
tinucs growing less and less inScnshly for
the .lilatation is always morc1 quick and vi>
bic than the contraction In this last state
the animal appears extremely lean: the
spine of the back seems sharp, and all the
ribs NAV bc counted; likewise the tr,"lonS
of the ley: and arms my he seen very dis
,inctly.
This u,rthol Of putting itself up is similar
60 that in pigeons, whose crops are sometimes
greatly distended with air. The cEam'lcon
has power of driving the air it hrcathes over
every part Of the body however,: only gets
between the skin and the muscles; tor the
muscles themselves are never swollen. The
-Ain is very cold to the touch; and though,
he animal seems so lean, there i. 40 ftcln"
the l,,a.ir,t of the heart The surface Of the
skin is unequal. and has grain not Unlike
.la.reen. but very .olt. because each emf
hence i: as ,mooll As iii were po.<l.e..-
Sa.:c Of these little rro:ubcranccs are As
i,rrr as VIM head. on the arms LEGS belly.
mi tail! t,.t "a t. shoulders and head they
..,, c,,ro ,,1 j., Eel. ,ar,,r.
,.,,.oj;,, IL. fam,
,I, ,.,. =, 70 ,.or~,.
w., =,
:" .,
'h'''' - .''' o.
biui Il cr,v. anil lie .,'.H le:w@ra :: e
, ,.I, r.l ava y,i',v.
F''' '''' '''''
ha' "H'' VIZ ''''''''' = i ''''''' 49, Wv
an men CON- lie """ '.I'"I l'''' VI - "'>
tory. At nr'' appears % ''''''r Il"
81 color. ITS rT'!'>h >i'"': >''i: continuing '"t
same; BIT ii" whole surface soon seems 10
inh;bc the rav- ctIi.l' and the supple col
crino oft!,c body changes inoa variety OF
beautiful hucs. Wherever the '9't comes
u,on the bod: i: i Of a .awny h:own 'ut
that part q the skin Oh which the sun does
not slrt, changes into several brighter col
or,. .,alc yellow. Or vivid crimson: Which
fcm spots of the size of half ones finer
some ofth"sc descend from the spine kali
way down the back, anil others appcar On
nc sides. arms, anu tai. wI.s" the sun has
done shining. the origna! grey color returns
by degrees, and covers all the body. Some
times the animal becomes all over spotted
with brown spots, OF a greenlsh east When
IT Is wrapped nP'n White wo0il'n cloth Tor
Two or thr2e minutes We natural 'o'"r be
comes much ''-"'er' b"' rot quite White as
so'"c AUTHORS nave prticnde"; h"""vcr.'ron'
hence must not bc conclude" that the cha
mcIeon assumes the color OF the Objects which
II approaches: this is entirely an error an!
probably mas taken us rise rom 'he eoh''i'-