Huntsville gazette., 1882-05-27
The American Chameleon.

meleon. 1t does not much resemble
the Chameleon Of Asia and Africa per-
haps our only reason for calling 1t cha-
meleon lies in the fact that like the cha
meleon of the Old World it has the pow
er of changing its color, apparently at
will Htruth, so readily does II change
its color in response to the requirements
of circumstances that one can scarcely
tell what its natural color IS, though |
believe it to be a light green, for ! lind
it dressed in green oftener than IN any
other shade. On this account the people
of MANY portions of the South call it
simply the g green lizard" the word
chameleon being too large mouthful
for them. Its scientific name is A,solis
3,rincipo7ts. Some of our scientific
friends have been trying to establish it
in the common name of &c Florida Cha
meleon.n on account of having met with
it in Florida while making tour OF that
State; but against this put in my pro-
test, for it is no more Florida chame-
leon than it is South Carolina, a Geor-
gia, an Alabama, a Mississippi, a Louis
lana or Texas chameleon. 1t appears
in the lower portions OF all these States,
where it is Just as much at home as in
Florida. AS there are no other chame-
Icons in America, and no other animals
approaching so nearly to the chameleon
of the Old World, consider American
Chameleon the most appropriate COM
mon name for it.
This little reptile I regret the neces-
sity of CHASING it as reptile) is one OF
the prettiest little creatures in the ami
nal kingdom In its shape, it's color,
and all its movements it is the very per-
sonifcation of gracefulness. Moving
from place to place with brisk run and
occasional skip of foot or more, it
promptly takes upon itself the color OF
the object upon which it is located. For
instance, located upon a black substance
it becomes black lizard, on brown
substance a brown lizard, on a green
substance a green lizard, etc. A few
minutes ago | had one on my writing
table, among my papers, where it was
as white as milk, but now see it npon
the green leaves Of jasmine vine, just
outside of my window, and it is as green
as grass. - fssssc1 s e
Why the little animal changes its color
so often can not tell, but | suspect that
it is for the purpose of self-protection-
by assuming the color of the object upon
which it is located it stands better
chance of escaping the observation of its
enemies; which, owing to the fact that
it is wholly inoffensive, is a matter OF
great importance to it.
In length the American chameleon,
when fully grown, measures about six
inches from tip of nose to tip of tail. |
have seen specimens some longer,
though six inches may be taken as about
the average length. Over half OF this
length is taken up by tail, the greater
portion of which is so slim as to appear
as mere thread The body is very
slender for that of a lizard, while the
head is flat and somewhat lance-shaped.
The eyes are bright and sparkling, while
the teeth are fine and very pretty, re-
minding one somewhat of the teeth in a
jewelers. saw of the finest number. 1t
has four legs ike other lizards, of course;
tie hindermost pair are lengthy and so
arranged as to render it capable of
leaping a distance of several feet. The
feet are large, with toes widely spread
ing. ss r-s ss sl s
Our little chameleon tames readily
and makes very interesting pet, living
about the house and taking flies from
the fingers without. the slightest show Of
fear. 1t is entirely harmless, though it
has a way of swelling out q bauble-ike
pouch under the 'tchin'' when displeased
chat looks threatening and causes some
nervous people to hesitate about han
ding it. Whether or not this is intended
as a threat is more than can tell. Ifa
threat, it is only, put out for a make
believe, as the chameleon never bites.
The young folks on my place usually
have quite a number Of them as pets,
scalling them by familiar names, as
George, Billy, Jenny, and so on, and
looking after them with as much interest
as if they were the most valuable live
stock extant. sas.E.ss, W sa4s -t
"But, dear met" says one of my
young readers up North, with shud-
der, ''they are lizards!'' SO they are,
but nothing could be more harmless or
more beautiful. ssBut they are snakey!n
No, there's nothing about them to even
remind one of snake-nothing like so
much as there is about fish. l have
already intimated that have one as a
pet myself. A few months ago had
two My little daughter named them,
respectively, Mark Twain and Josh Bill
lings. My writing table sits by win-
dow, and in fly time could always tell
when large fly was buzzing against
the glass, without either seeing or hear
ing it, by the actions of Mark and Josh.
They, at the first appearance of the fly,
came racing across the table toward my
hands, expecting me to take it down for
them, which always did But l have
only Josh Billings with me now. Some
time back, when | was closing the door
to go to dinner, felt slight resistance
and heard something crush 1t was
Mark Twain. He had taken a foolish
fancy to sit in the groove of the facing
Immediately behind the shutter, and
when closed the door, not having OBJ
served him, Mark Twain was mashed
"as fiat as a fritter.''s tA
The American chameleon feeds ex-
clusively upon insects, and is therefore
the special friend OF. the farmer and
gardener. 1t will coup tree and look
through the foliage by the hour, COB
bling down every insect that happens to
come withing the range of its keen vis-l