. Birds of other lands, reptiles, fishes, jointed animals and lower forms;. Zoology; Birds; Reptiles; Fishes. CHAPTER IV CHAALELEOXS TVATRRA THE diftcr in so man\- important structural points from the ordinary lizards that they are usuall)- regarded now b}' scientists as a distinct reptilian sub-order. The essential characters, externally recognisable, that serve to distinguish the chame- leons are: — Firsth', the extraordinary develop- ment of their worm-like extensile tongue, the tip of it club-shaped and highl)- viscous, and the shaft cylindrical and as elastic in t
. Birds of other lands, reptiles, fishes, jointed animals and lower forms;. Zoology; Birds; Reptiles; Fishes. CHAPTER IV CHAALELEOXS TVATRRA THE diftcr in so man\- important structural points from the ordinary lizards that they are usuall)- regarded now b}' scientists as a distinct reptilian sub-order. The essential characters, externally recognisable, that serve to distinguish the chame- leons are: — Firsth', the extraordinary develop- ment of their worm-like extensile tongue, the tip of it club-shaped and highl)- viscous, and the shaft cylindrical and as elastic in texture as india- rubber. Adapted for the special object of catch- ing flies, this organ can be projected from the mouth to a distance of 6 or S inches or more with lightning-like rapidit}', and rarely misses its quarry. Comparing small things with great, the chamasleon's tongue and its action might be hkened to a schoolboy's popgun, having its pellet secured to the barrel by a long elastic ligament. Presuming further that the pellet is covered with a viscid secretion such as bird-lime, and that the object shot at is hit and brought back to the shooter's pocket by virtue of the liga- ment's intrinsic elasticit)', we have an almost veritable replica of the chamaeleon's fl)'-catching apparatus. The second remarkable structural peculiarity of the chamaeleon is the independent relationship of the two eyes. The eves them- seh'es are unlike those of any other lizards; the\' are large,prominent,skin-covered cones,perforated only at their extreme apex for the minute pupil- opening: while one e\'e ma_\' be fixed on an object in front of it, the other may be rolling around in search of a second quarry. This independent capacit)' of x'ision, \\'hile peculiar among reptiles to the chamfeleon, is common to man)' fishes, such as blennies and flat-fishes. A third anomah' in the chamseleon's structure is the character of the feet; these resemble those of a parrot, the toes being bound togethe
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecad, booksubjectfishes, booksubjectzoology
