What causes certain lizards to change color?
Most animals have permanent coloration that blends more or less with the scenery where they normally spend their lives. A few have a surprising gift for changing color for reasons of their own. Some are snakes, but the most famous of these talented turncoats are lizards called chameleons. The true chameleon is a native lizard of Africa, India and Madagascar. His appearance is outlandish and he has a startling talent for changing his scaly skin through a range of yellows, greens and greys in a matter of minutes. The so called chameleon in our pet shops is the American anole, normally at home in the southwestern deserts. This pretty lizard can switch, while you watch, from green to brown or from brown to green. In nature, this strange gift generally serves a purpose. The scenery varies with light and shade and other passing events and as a rule the lizard’s changes keep pace with nature’s variations. Most of the time he blends with his natural surroundings. But off beat switches may occu
