University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1908-11-14

IL tiles that are kept as pets, the
chameleon is probably the most
interesting the most bizarre
in appearance. Unfortunately, they are
very susceptible to cold, and therefore
difficult to keep through the ever-vary-
ing climatic conditions of Northern
winter. Nevertheless, so quaint. inter-
esting and amusing a pet is the chame-
leon that it will well repay one for all
the trouble or care lavished upon it.
Certainly the most successful method of
keeping chameleons would be to let
them have the run of a small conserya-
tory, kept at an even temperature of
about IS degrees to 20 degrees Fahr.,
and in which there were few dwarf
trees for them to climb about. A cheap
and successful method, where a con.
servatory is out of the question, is to
have a wooden cage, with a glass front
and sides, and a shallow water tank
floor. The water in the tank can quite
easily be kept at an even temperature
by means of spirit lamp placed beneath
it. In such cages the author has kept
chameleons and boa constructors most
successfully, and at very small cost.
Popular imagination has assigned to
the chameleon the power of changing
through all the colors of the rainbow,
but it's actual performance falls short
of this, some eolors being quite beyond
it's powers. However, the chameleon is
something of "quick-change artist"
and can pass through a series of yell
lows, grays, green's, browns, to almost
black; moreover, it can accomplish that
feat which is beyond the power of the
leopard, for it can, and does, change the
color of its spots. The main factors
that cause the rapid changes of color are
anger, excitement, fear, warmth, cold
and death. In the full blaze of the
summer sun the chameleon assumes a
blackish hue, with pale, pinkish yellow
spots and ventral stripe.
What quaint, archaic appearance the
chameleon presents, more like the Gre
alton of some monkish sculpture, stone
devil of NOtre Dame" come to life, or
some survivor from a past geological
age. The toes, in their arrangement of
three on one side and two on the other
of each hand and foot, are singularly
suggestive of bird, as is also the man
ner in which they grasp the bough upon
which the chameleon is resting or climb
ing. The constantly changing facial ex-
pressions are very quaint and laughable.
There is always a look of sardonic hu-
NOR lurking around the lines of the
mouth and it is greatly increased By the
weird effects produced by the independ-
emily moving eyes, indeed, the little
reptile is champion squinter Ana
tomically, there are at least two most
interesting points about the chameleon.
First, it is unique among limbed reptiles
as the possessOr of a prehensile tail;
and, secondly, for the peculiar blind out
growths of the lungs, which, spreading
through the body, literally enable the
animal to ''swell wisibly"
Generally speaking, the body of the
chameleon presents a very lean and
emaciated appearance, and can, by the
contraction OF the muscles lying between
the ribs, become still more attenuated.
This contraction generally takes place
on the chameleon observing the ap-
proach of foe and is accompanied by
a change of color to tint closely re-
sembling that of its surroundings. max
ing it practically impossible to detect the
whereabouts of the reptile. For its size
the chameleon has very hot and un-
governable temper, and if disturbed and
provoked will swell out it's body, hiss,
make violent snaps with its jaws, and
change from one color to another with
great rapidity. By this sudden and ex-
display of wrath it very
easily startles and puts to flight its
unwelcome visitors.
10 watch a chameleon feeding is real
ly wonderful and most interesting
sight. The chameleon, resting absolute
~ motionless upon a bough, except for
the independent rolling of its eyes,
watches until an insect comes within
the length of about its body and tail,
then suddenly the long, fleshy, cylin-
drical tongue, with it's curious lobed,
cups shaped end, is shot out, and the
victim is stuck fast to it by viscid
secretion and drawn into the hungry
mouth. If in healthy condition the
thoroughly enjoys a tepid
spray bath, administered by the aid of
garden syringe. The water used
should never be quite cold but with
Just the chill of. 1t also likes to lick
The water off the leaves of the bush or
shrub upon which it has taken up its
abode. Although not exactly of an af-
ectionate disposition, it soon learns to