Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1889-08-31
CHoLERIC CHAMELEoNS.
Pretty Florida Lizards with Very
- Bad Tempers.
They Would Rather Fight Than Not,
Though They Are Rather Sociable
With Manklnd-How They
Catch Their Prey.

Catch Their Prey.
II is not a chameleon at all, be 1t
known, for it is great deal smaller
and great deal handsomer than the
lazy, clumsy lizard, which owns the
name of chameleon. The latter has his
peculiarities, too, though we admire
our slender, delicate Florida pretender
the most, he is such funny, lively lit
tie fellow.
Anolis is the true name Of our Florida
chameleon. The green Carolina anolis
belongs to one branch Of the family,
and the red-throated anolis to another;
but they are so nearly related that few
people know one from the other. In
this genus the back and nape Of the
neck are either smooth or have low
crest formed by two series Of short
scales. and the scaly plate at the end Of
the muzzle is erect The whole anolis
family are very active, living in trees
and vines and jumping from branch to
branch with marvellous skill, even
clinging to swinging leaves by their
queer littlc toes.
Very curious are their delicate feet,
for they have not only oval discs on the
toes, but the last joint but one Of each
toe is pulled out so as to form pad,
and below this the toe is covered with
cross ridges. so that the anolis has a
firm hold on any thing he stands upon.
He can run up branch, walk up a
pane OF glass or wall or traverse the
ceiling OF room with equal ease.
The green Carolina and the red
throated anolis go quietly to sleep dur
ing the winter months. They don't
like even tho slight GOODNESS with which
old Father Winter greess bonnie Flori-
da, but in the spring means Feb
ruary or even earlier in Florida-they
get wide awake.
Let us take peep at the doings OF
the green anolis first He is a bold
little fellow, about six inches long, and
wears smooth. chaugeable coat with
a very long tail to it. He is not con-
tent with outdoor life. but comes pry-
ing into the house without waiting for
an invitation, and darts here and there
all over the walls and windows, and
even marches at double quick over the
tables and chairs hunting for his din
ner, for his diet being compound ol
flies and other insects, he is wonder
fully quick in discovering where they
most do congregate, and thither he
comes regularly every day, unless
same cruel human biped interferes witt
him.
But when he first rouses from hi'
winters sleep our little anolis is 1
dreadfully cross-grained specimen o
a lizard, especially with his own set
Let two of them meet and so quarrel
some and pugnacious are they that they
fly ut each other with the fury Of tigers
and this is the time to see them in al
their beauty.
As soop as they catch sight Of eacf
other they remain perfectly still for q
moment Then they nod their head
up and down .three or four times, as /
to work themselves up the right pitcl
for fight. Tve seen chickens do tn
same thing many time.) Then the.
swell out their dewlap, or throatpouch
until it becomes beautiful light scar
let. All this while their color is con
stantly changing in manner marvel
GUS to behold. Before they saw eacl
other both wore gay golden-greel
coat and white shirt bosom. tinte
with green, but in an instant this holl
day attire vanishes and they don thei
fighting suits. one after another. darl
brown, light brown, olive-green, slat
cClor, some plain, some spotted, hu
the putting cut of the dewlap is tn
last of tho preliminaries, and now
like flash, the tussle begins And sue
a tussle 1t is, to be surel No fun o
play about it, only deadly earnest
have watched these Lilliputian CON
bats more than once; one especially
recall between two unusually fin
specimens, regular anoiis dudes, ana
fair lady q suspect she was at the bot
tom OF the trouble too) sat on lea
close by and looked calmly on, ready
no doubt, to greet the victor with swee
! smiles.
The antagonists seized each other b
the jaws--their teeth are very tiny
just big enough to feel rough on one
finger-but they managed to hold on
each other and then their heads move
to and fro. their long tails lashed, the
advanced and retreated up and dow
: the stem OF the evening iessamin
which they had selected as their battl
ground. and for ten minutes they kel
hard at il. their dewlaps swelled lii
a ho.-,,,t{f,.f aaerfaf halle tha h,taa ~