The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1893-12-16
~REPulSlvE
The Chameleon Used for Personal Adorn-
ment-An Eastern Fad Coming West.

The Chameleon Used for Personal Adorn-
ment-An Eastern Fad Coming West.
The latest fad that has fastened it,
self upon the fashionable people OF
the East Is gradually extending west
ward. Chicago is now wrestling with
il. and ST Louis is about 10 take a
''iall or two Just 10 prove that we
are not entirely without morbid fan.
cies. 1t will not be long before we
will see the playful little chameleon
nesting close to the tour inland Of
the chappies, or playing hide.and-
seek among the frills aud tluils that
adornthe bOdices uf the ladies.
About a wear ago the ultra-,ashion-
ahles OF New York, on the lookout
for something sensational and strik-
ing in the way OF adornment hit
upon The chameleon rs the thing. Con-
Sc ,uently, dealers began bringing
the curious little lizards from Florida,
Alabama, Arkansas, ana other south
crn States Little gold collars are
placed about the necks OF the reptile
and a fine chain and pin attached.
The pins are fastened in the scarfS OF
the gentlemen, on the lapel ofHtheir
vests. or any place the fancy of the
wearer may dictate, while ladies put
them in their hair, IN their lusoms
NJ the throat, and sometimes on their
shoulders. The chameleon has about
3 or inches Of chain, and he plays
about or lies still, looking as con
tented rs a bee N "A buttercup. II is
amusing 10 watch the movements Of
these new society pets. While they
can get along very nicely without
! food or water for weeks at a time
and 10y the ancicnts the chameleon was
thought TO exist upon air-thcy are
ever on the lookout for food. Their
G cs, acting independently OF each
other, keep rolling about in search OF
flies. one eye may be directed for
ward while the other is turned back.
ward, and any insect that ome
with n reach falls a victim 10 the
( lightning like stroke OF the chamc-
Icons tongue. This organ is remark
able, being sub-cylindrical, extremely
cXtensible with the end somewhat:
enlarged and hollow, and supplied
with "A glutinous secretion. IL is ca
J pablo OF being protrudcd Il or : inches.
The chameleon will lie perfectly still
for an hour at "A time, but II YOU
touch n its movements are rs quick
as a fash.
The chameleon cannot, rs was at
zone time suppos ID, change It's color at
will, but under certain conditions, 10y
no means well aScertaincd, their nor
NAL blush ash color may give place
10 "A green or yellowish hue, with ir-
regular spots OF "A dull red, or IL may
become considerably paler ST. rs 20 ap-
proach 20 whitcness. Aristotle
claimed that the change OF color only
took place when the chameleon was
inflated with air; Iliny, that ITS
varying cOlors were borrowed from
surrounding Oh ects, while Wormeus
was the first TO attribute those ya~r~
ations ITO the play OF emotions and
PASSIONS. Milne Edwards. however,
showed that whatever the exciting
cause of these changes in color, they
were rendered possible by the presence
in the skin of the chameleon OF two
layers OF differently cOlored pigment,
placed one on the other, and SO ar
ranged that both may appear stimuli
taneously on the surface, or the Il
may be displaced 10 "A greater or less
extent by the other, the Co.or vary
ing with the amount OF such displace-
mcnt Thus protected by its color
ing, the chameleon awaits its prey,
I and no sooner does an insect place IT.
self within reach Of It's tongue than
the organ. lcaping forth from its
sheath with ghtning speed, fixes its
victim on the glutinOus tip, which is
forthwith %engulfcd with equally as
tonishing rapidIty. st. Louis Globe