The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-10-11
In the Florida Woods.

"A few days after, our special artist
Harry went out for tramp, and re-
turned to camp, his face radiant with
pleasure and self-satisfaction.
'fIOm, said he, II have caught for
you some black, some yellow, and some
brown lizards -
Then he carefully opened an old
cigar-box in which he usual carried his
paints and, as he peeped inside, his
eyes opened and his whole face ex-
pressed the utmost astonishment.
'tWhat is the matter?' asked Tom.
'tHaye they escaped?"
"Escapedn' No." said he. 'But
either am bewitched, or some wood
nynph has played q trick upon me; for
here is box full of pea-green lizards!"
tsCaroti1aG daaolis! :" remarked Tom.
...Who's she? The wood-nymph? Do
you know her?" asked Harry, as he
shut the box, with snap. ''Well, what
| want to know is, how Carrie what s.
her-name painted all my specimens
bright-green, for am willing to vouch
that nothing green touched that box"
&c. Except yourself" laughed Tom.
.sYou have been catching what are
u commonly known as Florida chame-
Icons, and they have changed color in
the box. ID lt"W
AZ From the mysterious depths of his
pockets Tom produced magnifying-
glass. Then, thrusting his hands into
the cigar box, he pulled out one of the
squirming reptiles, and, holding it in his
fingers, handed Harry the glass, saying
s'Look and see how old Dame Nature
has adapted the feet of these little ras-
Gals for climbing"
Harry looked and saw that the under
side of each toe was cushion, the sur
face of which was pleated like an old
fashioned shirt-front--the pleats on the
hinder part having their edges turned
toward the end of the toe, and the
pIeats on the forward part having their
edges turned toward the heel, thus di-
yidng the cushion in the middle just
rs tie band for the studs divided the
shirt-front, And upon looking further.
Harry discovered that the edges of the
pIeats were armed with rows of needle
like points, and the, mechanical princi-
piles upon which the foot acted dawned
upon him. .suuf s}t
Il see. seep' he exclaimed. '.When
the little rascal runs up a wall, the soft
pads upon his toes fit and ELL any little
uneven place beneath them, acting like
the leather suckers we used to make;
while, Ut the same time the little spines
pointing downward are brought to bear
upon the surface of the wall. But, "
he continued, ''should Mr., Bright Eyes
run down the wall, the pads perform
their part just as well and are aided
| by the opposite set of spines and pleats.
Hurrah for Tom, the. great naturalist
he shouted. and in his enthusiasm
dropped the box from under his arm.
s., The inmates Immediately took ad-
vantage of the opportunity to scatter
in every directions; seeing which, Harry
grabbed at one and caught it by the
TAIL. His Sudden cry of horror startled
Tom from his fit of laughter; but when
Il talIlesS chameleon darted under q
stick at his feet, and he saw Harry gaz-
inc with CONSERVATION on squirming
tail which he held in his hand for a
. moment, and then dropped, twisting
and writhing, on the ground, he broke
| out afresit and laughed inlmoderately.
Harry looked up ut last, muttering
something about its being his belief
| that the box had contained imps instead
I of reptiles. Tom, however, explained
| that It was quite IN ordinary occurrence
| for this curious ;uiimal to part with its
caudal appendagc, when, by that
means, escape from captivity was pos
] sible = From Tom, Djcb and Harry, in
Florida, +" ia ST. Nicholas. @iN"