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Show 652 DR. J. ANDERSON ON REPTILES AND [June 18, Chamceleon calcarifer,Vetevs, Monat. Berl. Ac. 1870, p. 110(footnote); Eeise n. Mossamb. iii. (1882) p. 22, pi. iv a.; Sclater, fide Boulenger, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1885, p. 717 et p. 833; Boulenger, Cat. Lizards B.M.iii. 1887, p. 444; Mocquard, C. E . Soc. Philom. 1895. 3 d and 1 $ . Shaikh Othman. 1 o" • Haithalhim. Ten years ago Colonel Yerbury presented a large chameleon to the British Museum. He captured it on a bush, on the east bank of the Toban river, beyond Isfian near Aden. Mr. Boulenger identified it as the Chamceleon calcarifer, Peters, founded on a chameleon which Peters had received, in November 1843, from Lieut. Barnard of H.M.S. 'Cleopatra' while the vessel was lying in the Bay of Bembatooka on the west coast of Madagascar. Peters in his description of the species gives Madagascar as its habitat. More than half a century has elapsed since Peters obtained the lizard, but although the island has been largely explored by various naturalists, and many new species of chameleons have been discovered, not a trace of this large and fine species has been forthcoming, whereas, on the other hand, chameleons presenting all the features of C. calcarifer, and agreeing well with Peters's figure, have been recorded from Aden. Mr. Boulenger has examined the type of C. calcarifer and, as has been just stated, has identified them with it. On the other hand Mr. Matschie, who has also received this large chameleon from Aden and who has free access to the type of C. calcarifer preserved in the Berlin Museum, regards it as a species distinct from C. calcarifer and has named it C. arabicum. But in arriving at this conclusion he seems to have been somewhat influenced by Peters's statement that its native country was Madagascar. In order if possible to throw some light on the origin of Peters's chameleon, I applied to the Lords of the Admiralty for permission to examine the log of H.M.S. * Cleopatra,' preserved in the Eecord Office. This was granted to me. This ship, under the command of Captain C. Wyvill, sailed from England on the 15th July, 1842, and Lieut. F. L. Barnard, Professor Peters's friend, is mentioned in the log as accompanying the ship. The ' Cleopatra' went to the Cape and was engaged in cruising along the coast of Africa from Natal to Zanzibar, the latter port being the furthest northern point the vessel reached. The ship was frequently at Quillimane and at Mozambique, and appears to have been engaged, among other duties, in suppressing the Slave trade. On the 24th Sept., 1843, it was off Zanzibar, and left it on the 10th October of the same year, returning by Mohilla, Johanna, to Fort St. Sebastian, Mozambique, where the vessel arrived on the 26th October. O n the following day it again sailed, and in the log the entry is " running for Bembatooka Bay." It anchored off Majunga on the 30th Oct., and on the 1st November the boats were sent ashore for bullocks and vegetables. The day following, its course was directed to Nossi Be, at the northwestern end of Madagascar. |