A chameleon on the branch of a tree.

ENCOUNTERS .WITH NATURE by Guido Lanfranco

'The
1
Chamel'eon

1n
Chameleons are always considered to be strange creatures
that change colour at will.
Naturiail!ly, 1a1s rulways, thos.e
w:ho ihaive nerver a;ctually
owned or stiudied a chame-
lwn. enfar!ge on its a'bU:Lties
tree:s.
Some pel1."0ills
plalin-e:ct that
ha1Ye com-
tbe:y l>ose
itll:eir ichame1eon li.f theY
le,a;ve it to ream ra:bcUit fin th:e .
garden. 'Iih1ecv would. af@,.

\
COIU.r."2 l::ut ii.f they dOWil .. / z . . j'
their trnes so t;hart no branches! ' . ,
grow over walls the chameli. /
eon remains in the garden. /
Tihe metihod of feeding for
.the c:hame'lecm is uecu1i.ar. It
.<:hoots c-u,t a tonigrue equal to
the body l<mgt:h. 1amd it:he 1un-
wa.r::v inss
1
c:t Elt::1c1ks to the t.iip.
a.nct is instan1t1y rtaken iDO the
:c:J:IU'l1'CITT:e:d into con-
venient shape, and swallowed.
Cha1me
1
1.eons werr:e not
n:1tu'rn1l nati:vers of Ma.1ita, but
they were t111brodluc,ed into
the 1g.a.rdens of the Jesuits at
St. J.U.:ia1l1'.s, )Ln 1aJbout l.8?0-
1&80 .and s1nc,? t.hen they ap-
:Pea.r to h:u ve spr.e;a.ct <to Pa:c.e-
Ville, Gzira, Naixxiar, 1anct oth...er
surrn:mndiing 1a.reas:

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ma1ke U!J stories :aibciut


chameleons changing into..,".,.
every colour of the rainbow. "
However, . ail'tJ:mugh this
crieature does modify iiits.
coJoUJra1tion aic!Corddn,g- rto ti'he
sll!l1roundings, lit can onilv do
so wtt'hin ia i11'ml!ted ,r;an:g.e of
colours. from white througn
yeJI.ow, ;g1r.e1en and !b.Tiac'k: - 1no

or, t1h.l!e!b, .,astofien

:
, lS aus.o a; I O 1u'aJV.e . .., O uC res :
or s:!)ots Dif cci1our and :
strnak:s o:n :t1he bcidy. :
-The tffe
1
ct is
1
a11:Wia;ys efif1ec- 5
for rt:he '.l;mr:i.:>ose of :
ca1mou1fta1g.e. b1ut ltlhe c1;11aniges :
ar
1
e not sudden, J:iut talke a
few minutes Ito 1a:dla:ot them- :
selrves. Wlhe1n rart resit the :
.turns w;lh!i:ti:sih or :
a1?'d. thds ta:1so 1!'
1
8.iP- S
pens w: en I<t 'lis no pa:ruuciu- :
Q1a,r1l.y heaI'thy. :
The worid chameleon me.a.ns :
smail'l Uon. This ic.r,eat:uTe feeds :
011 ltvi1nz inse
1
c'1ls, esi:;;:e1ciail11'Y :
flies and buttero:lies. and :
moths. It 1s 'v\or'y us:eful 1to :
Iha ve a l'OiUnd tn t:he g.arde.n to :
hunt the flies amid the o;