Hrabanus Maurus on Chameleon
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Patrologia Latina Cursus Completus LXIII, 222B
Camaeleon non habet unum colorem, sed diversa est varietate conspersus, ut pardus. Dictus autem ita, quod hujus cameleontis corpusculum ad colores, quos videt, facillima conversione variatur, quod aliorum animalium non est ita ad conversionem facilis corpulentia.
Paraphrase and commentary
- The chameleon has not one colour but is coloured differently like the pard. It is called like that because the body of the chameleon can very easily change its colouring in respect to the colours it sees. It is not so easy for the body of other animals to change its colours.