Page 17 Advertisements Column 1

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17246, 12 January 1924, Page 17

CHAMELEON’S COLOURS It has alwavs been a popular supposition that a chameleon can change .. the colour of its skin to suit any back ground. As a matter of fact, it is not the action of light or colour upon the chameleon’s body that changes him—it is in his eves that the machinery is set in motion. The actions of sunlight and shadow, of heat and cold., or of any strong excitement, are all that is required for the colour-changing pro cess, provided the creature’s eyes are exposed to the light If its head were hidden away in shadow, and fierce contrasts of colour were thrown on to th* body only, no change would be visible Great heat will cause a chameleon to turn a brilliant green, while cold will affect him adversely, until he becomes a slate grew At night time he will turn a delicate shade of cream The chameleon’s tongue is club-shaped at the tip, with a- roll of muscle on it that makes it bell-shaped. At the centre, the tongue is thinner and is ribbed with muscles that are as elastic as rubber. These enable the tongue to be extended to a ' length equal to that of the animal’s body. The inner surface of the tongue is covered with a sticky substance—and the movement of the organ is so rapid that woe betide any unfortunate fly or delectable grub that coxnas_ withia six inches of .its-range*