The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1882-06-07
The American Chameleon.

There is in the lower Southern States
reaching to the sea q beautiful little liz
ard known in some localities as the cha
meleon. 1t does not much resemble
the chameleon of Asia and Africa; per-
haps our only reason for calling it 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. In truth, so readily does it change
its color in response to the requirements
of circumstances that one can scarcely
tell what its natural color is, though I
believe it to be light green, for L find
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 "green lizard" the word
chameleon being too large a mouthful
for them. Its scientific name is A,lolis
principals. Some of our scientific
friends have been trying to establish it
in the common name of " Florida Cha
meleon,n on account of having met with
1t in Florida while making tour of that
State but against this put in my pro-
test, for it is no moro a Florida chame-
leon than it is a South Carolina, a Geor-
gia, an Alabama, Mississippi, Louis
lana or a 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 Q regret the neces-
sity of CHASING it as reptile) is one Of
the prettiest little creatures in the ami
NAL Kingdom. In its shape, its color,
and all its movements it is the very per-
soni6cation of gracefulness. Moving
from place to place with n 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 black substance
it becomes a black lizard, on a brown
substance q brown lizard, on q green
substance q green lizard, etc. A few
minutes ago l had one on my writing
table, among my papers, where it was
rs white as milk, but now see it upon
the green leaves of a jasmine vine, just
outside of my window, and it is as green
rs grass.
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 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 thi;
length is taken up by tail, the greater
| portion of which is so slim as to appear
as a mere thread. The body is very
slender for that of a lizard, while the
head is fiat 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 8
jewelers. saw of the finest number. II
has four legs like other lizards, of course
the hindermost pair are lengthy and sc
arranged as to render it capable ot
leaping q distance of several feet. The
feet are large, with toes widely spread
ing.
Our little chameleon tames readily
and makes very interesting pet, ivin2
about the house and taking flies from
the fingers without the slightest show o.
fear. 1t is entirely harmless, though il
has q way of swelling out a bauble-ikt
pouch under the ''chin' when displeaseC
that looks threatening and causes some
nervous people to hesitate about han
ding it. Whether or not this is intended
as threat is more than | can tell. Ii (;
threat, it is only put out for a mako
believe, as the chameleon never bites
The young folks on my place usually
have quite number of them as pets
calling them by familiar names, a
George, Billy, Jenny, and so on, ant
looking after them with as much interes
as if they were the most valuable liv,
stock extant.
"But, dear mel" says one of m,
young readers up North, with a shud
der, s'they are lizardsi" So they are
but nothing could be more harmless o
more beautiful. ''But they are snakeyl
No, there's nothing about them to eve
remind one of a snake-nothing like s
much as there Is about fish. l hav
already intimated that have one as
pet myself. A few months ago | ha
two. My little daughter named them
respectively, Mark Twain and Josh Bil
lings. My writing-table sits by win
dow, and in fly time l could always te
when large fly was buzzing agains
i IQ6 RldSS, WlLuOub clbucE oCOluS vi hOut
ing It, by the actions of Mark and Josh
They, at the first appearance of the fly
came racing across the table toward m
hands, expecting me to take it down fo
them, which always did. But l hav
only Josh Billings with me now. Som
time back, when was closing the doc
to go to dinner, felt slight resistanc
and heard something crush. 1t wa
Mark Twain. He had taken a FOOLS
fancy to sit in the groove of the facin
Immediately behind the shutter, an
when closed tAe door, not having OF
served him, Mark Twain was mashe
ssas fiat as fritter."
The American chameleon feeds e1
clusively upon insects, and Is therefor
the special friend of the farmer an
gardener 1t will go up a tree and loo
through the foliage by the hour, got
bling down every insect that happens
come withing the range of its keen Wis
ion. 1t is very quick in its movements
1 have not uufreGuently seen it leap mes
two feet in the air and take an insect o
! the wing.
know of but one bad trait in th
character of the American chameleon
he is not exactly the fellow who ougl
! to be encouraged to reside in the apiar,
He appears too small and delicate an
modest to disturb bees, but, my word fC
it, the bee-owner had best not risk hin
can not say that he has any specii
relish for bees, but have seen enoug
; to know that it will not do for bees
rub themselves against him.-ProteSsc
, Steele, IL, Louisville C0urier-J0tETnGl.
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