PROCEEDINGS
OF THE
CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
THIRD SERIES
ZOOLOGY
VOL. IV
1905-1906
SAN FRANCISCO
PUBLISHED BY THE ACADEMY
1906
INDEX TO VOLUME IV, THIRD SERIES, ZOOLOGY.
New names in =heavy-faced type=; Synonyms in _italics_.
_adamanteus atrox, Crotalus_, 18
Amphispiza belli, 66
_Anaides lugubris_, 5
Anniella:
The species of the Reptilian Genus Anniella with Especial
Reference to Anniella texana and to Variation in
Anniella nigra, 41-9
nigra, 42, 43, 44, 48, 49
pulchra, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 47, 48
texana, 42, 43, 44, 45, 48
anthonyi, Bascanion, 3, 4, 27
Arizona:
On the Shape of the Pupil in the Reptilian Genus Arizona, 66-7
elegans, 66
_atrox, Crotalus_, 18, 24
attenuatus, Batrachoseps, 3, 6, 7, 16
auriculata, Uta, 3, 4, 26
_Autodax lugubris_, 4, 5
=lugubris farallonensis=, 2, 3, 4, 5
Bascanion, 25
anthonyi, 3, 4, 27
_laterale_, 26, 66
laterale fuliginosum, 3, 4, 26
Batrachoseps attenuatus, 3, 6, 7, 16
pacificus, 3, 4, 6, 7, 11
becki, Sceloporus, 2, 3, 4, 9
_beldingi, Verticaria_, 23
belli, Amphispiza, 66
biseriatus becki, Sceloporus, 3, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14
Callisaurus ventralis, 3, 25
catenifer, Pituophis, 3, 21
_catenifer deserticola, Pituophis_, 21
cerroense, Phrynosoma, 3, 4, 23
clarionensis, Uta, 3, 4, 27
clarki clarki, Sceloporus, 23
Cnemidophorus labialis, 3, 4, 24
multiscutatus, 3, 4, 24
rubidus, 3, 25, 26
_tessellatus rubidus_, 26
_tessellatus multiscutatus_, 24
tigris undulatus, 66
Coluber, 66
_confluentus confluentus, Crotalus_, 18
copeii, Crotaphytus, 25
_Crotalus adamanteus atrox_, 18
_atrox_, 18, 24
_confluentus confluentus_, 18
exsul, 3, 4, 24
_lucifer_, 16, 18
mitchellii, 3, 26
oregonus, 3, 16, 18
_Crotaphytus copeii_, 25
wislizenii, 25
_curla_, Hyla, 23
Dermochelys:
On the Occurrence of the Leather-back Turtle, Dermochelys,
on the Coast of California, 51-6
Dipsosaurus dorsalis, 3, 24
dorsalis, Dipsosaurus, 3, 24
elegans, Arizona, 66
=exsul,= Crotalus, 3, 4, 24
Gerrhonotus, 18, 20
_multicarinatus_, 14
palmeri, 21
scincicauda, 3, 10, 12, 14, 19, 20, 21
scincicauda =ignavus= 2, 3, 19, 21
_scincicaudus_, 14
_Hemidactylium pacificum_, 6
_hernandezi, Phrynosoma_, 23
Hyla _curla_, 23
regilla, 3, 13, 23
hyperythra beldingi, Verticaria, 3, 23, 25
Hypsiglena ochrorhynchus, 18
On the Occurrence of the Spotted Night Snake, Hypsiglena
ochrorhynchus in Central California; and on the Shape of
the Pupil in the Reptilian Genus Arizona, 65-6
=ignavus,= Gerrhonotus scincicauda, 2, 3, 19, 21
intermedius, Plethodon, 61
labialis, Cnemidophorus, 3, 4, 24
laterale, Bascanion, 26, 66
laterale fuliginosum, Bascanion, 3, 4, 26
_lateralis fuliginosus, Zamenis_, 26
_lucifer, Crotalus_, 16, 18
_lugubris, Anaides_, 5
_lugubris_, Autodax, 4, 5
=lugubris farallonensis=, Autodax, 2, 3, 4, =5=
=martinensis=, Uta, 2, 3, 4, =18=
mitchellii, Crotalus, 3, =26=
_multicarinatus, Gerrhonotus_, 14
multiscutatus, Cnemidophorus, 3, 4, =24=
_multiscutatus tessellatus, Cnemidophorus_, 24
nigra, Anniella, 42, 43, 44, 48, =49=
nigricauda, Uta, 3, =25=
occidentalis, Sceloporus, 9, 10, 12
ochrorhynchus, Hypsiglena, =65-6=
oregonensis, Plethodon, 61, 62
oregonus, Crotalus, 3, =16=, =18=
pacificum, Hemidactylium, 6
pacificus, Batrachoseps, 3, 4, =6=, 7, =11=
palmeri, Gerrhonotus, 21
Phrynosoma, cerroense, 3, 4, =23=
_hernandezi_, 23
Pituophis, 66
catenifer, 3, =21=
_catenifer deserticola_, 21
_Pityophis sayi bellona_, 21
Plethodon, 7
intermedius, 61
oregonensis, 61, 62
=vandykei=, =61=
Description of a New Species of Plethodon, =61-3=
pulchra, Anniella, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 47, =48=
regilla, Hyla, 3, =13=, =23=
Rhinechis, 66
riversiana, Xantusia, 3, 4, =15=, =16=, =17=
rubidus, Cnemidophorus, 3, =25=, =26=
rubidus, Cnemidophorus tessellatus, 26
sayi bellona, Pityophis, 21
Sceloporus =becki=, 2, 3, 4, =9=
biseriatus becki, 3, 9, 10, =11=, =12=, =14=
_clarki clarki_, 23
occidentalis, 9, 10, 12
undulatus, 9
zosteromus, 3, =23=, =25=, =26=
scincicauda, Gerrhonotus, 3, =10=, =12=, =14=, 19, 20, 21
scincicauda =ignavus=, Gerrhonotus, 2, 3, =19=, 21
scincicaudus, Gerrhonotus, 14
stansburiana, Uta, 3, =13=, =14=, =16=, =17=, 21, =23=, =24=
=stellata=, Uta, 2, 3, 4, =21=
tessellatus rubidus, Cnemidophorus, 26
tessellatus multiscutatus, Cnemidophorus, 24
texana, Anniella, 42, 43, 44, 45, 48
tigris undulatus, Cnemidophorus, 66
undulatus, Cnemidophorus tigris, 66
undulatus, Sceloporus, 9
Uta, 18, 27
auriculata, 3, 4, =26=
clarionensis, 3, 4, =27=
=martinensis=, 2, 3, 4, =18=
nigricauda, 3, =25=
stansburiana, 3, =13=, =14=, =16=, =17=, 21, =23=, =24=
=stellata=, 2, 3, 4, =21=
=vandykei=, Plethodon
Description of a New Species of the Genus Plethodon, =61-3=
ventralis, Callisaurus, 3, =25=
_Verticaria beldingi_, 23
hyperythra beldingi, 3, =23=, =25=
wislizenii, Crotaphytus, 25
Xantusia riversiana, 3, 4, =15=, =16=, =17=
_Zamenis lateralis fuliginosus_, 26
zosteromus, Sceloporus, 3, =23=, =25=, =26=
CONTENTS OF VOLUME IV.
PLATES I-XI.
PAGE
Title-page i
Contents iii
No. 1. The Reptiles and Amphibians of the Islands of the
Pacific Coast of North America from the Farallons to Cape
San Lucas and the Revilla Gigedos. By John Van Denburgh.
(Plates I-VIII) 1
(Published June 15, 1905)
No. 2. The Species of the Reptilian Genus Anniella, with
Especial Reference to Anniella texana and to Variation
in Anniella nigra. By John Van Denburgh 41
(Published December 2, 1905)
No. 3. On the Occurrence of the Leather-back Turtle,
Dermochelys, on the Coast of California. By John Van
Denburgh.
(Plates IX-XI) 51
(Published December 2, 1905)
No. 4. Description of a New Species of the Genus Plethodon
(Plethodon vandykei) from Mount Rainier, Washington. By
John Van Denburgh 61
(Published March 14, 1906)
No. 5. On the Occurrence of the Spotted Night Snake,
Hypsiglena ochrorhynchus, in Central California; and
On the Shape of the Pupil in the Reptilian Genus
Arizona. By John Van Denburgh 65
(Published March 14, 1906)
Index 69
December 30, 1914.
[Illustration: PROC. CAL. ACAD. SCI. 3^D. SER. ZOOL. VOL. IV
[VAN DENBURGH] PLATE I.
PHOTO.-LITH. BRITTON & REY, S. F.]
PROCEEDINGS
OF THE
CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
THIRD SERIES
ZOOLOGY VOL. IV, NO. 1
_Issued June 15, 1905_
=THE REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS OF THE ISLANDS OF THE PACIFIC COAST OF
NORTH AMERICA FROM THE FARALLONS TO CAPE SAN LUCAS AND THE REVILLA
GIGEDOS=
BY JOHN VAN DENBURGH _Curator of the Department of Herpetology_.
CONTENTS.
PLATES I-VIII.
PAGE
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS 2
TABLE OF DISTRIBUTION 3
FAUNAL RELATIONSHIPS 4
SOUTH FARALLON ISLAND 4
SAN MIGUEL ISLAND 6
SANTA ROSA ISLAND 11
SANTA CRUZ ISLAND 13
ANA CAPA ISLAND 14
SAN NICOLAS ISLAND 15
SANTA BARBARA ISLAND 15
SANTA CATALINA ISLAND 16
SAN CLEMENTE ISLAND 17
LOS CORONADOS 17
SAN MARTIN ISLAND 18
SAN BENITO ISLAND 21
CERROS ISLAND 22
NATIVIDAD ISLAND 24
MAGDALENA ISLAND 24
SANTA MARGARITA ISLAND 25
SOCORRO ISLAND 26
CLARION ISLAND 27
June 13, 1905
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.
The first contribution to the herpetology of the islands of the
Pacific Coast of North America of which I have knowledge was,
curiously enough, a description of the lizard of Socorro, an island
perhaps the least accessible of them all. This description was
published by Professor Cope in 1871. Six years later Dr. Streets
recorded a few notes on the fauna of Cerros, San Martin, and
Los Coronados. Since that time there have appeared at intervals
contributions from Yarrow, Belding, Cope, Garman, Townsend, Stejneger,
and Van Denburgh, resulting in the gradual accumulation of a
considerable fund of knowledge. The papers in which this information
is contained are so widely scattered through journals and the
publications of various societies and museums as to be but little
available. It has, therefore, been thought expedient to review the
whole subject while reporting upon the material which in the last few
years has been accumulating in the collection of the Academy.
In this paper there are mentioned or described twenty-nine species and
subspecies, representing the fauna of eighteen islands. Of these four
are amphibians, nineteen are lizards, and six are snakes.
The following forms are here described as new:--
_Autodax lugubris farallonensis_, South Farallon Island,
_Uta martinensis_, San Martin Island,
_Uta stellata_, San Benito Island,
_Sceloporus becki_, San Miguel Island,
_Gerrhonotus scincicauda ignavus_, San Martin Island.
The island distribution of the various species and subspecies is
indicated in the following table:
DISTRIBUTION OF ISLAND REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS.
Table Key:
A: Farallon
B: San Miguel
C: Santa Rosa
D: Santa Cruz
E: Ana Capa
F: San Nicolas
G: Santa Barbara
H: Santa Catalina
I: San Clemente
J: Los Coronados
K: San Martin
L: San Benito
M: Cerros
N: Natividad
O: Magdalena
P: Santa Margarita
Q: Socorro
R: Clarion
S: Mainland
===============================+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
Name |A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M|N|O|P|Q|R|S
-------------------------------+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-
Autodax lugubris farallonensis |x| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Batrachoseps attenuatus | | | | | | | |x| | | | | | | | | | |x
Batrachoseps pacificus | |x|x| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |?
Hyla regilla | | | |x| | | | | | | | |x| | | | | |x
Dipsosaurus dorsalis | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |x| | | |x
Callisaurus ventralis | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |x| | |x
Crotaphytus wislizenii | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |x| | | |x
Uta stansburiana | | | |x|x| | |x|x| | | |x|x| | | | |x
Uta martinensis | | | | | | | | | | |x| | | | | | | |
Uta stellata | | | | | | | | | | | |x| | | | | | |
Uta nigricauda | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |x| | | |x
Uta auriculata | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |x| |
Uta clarionensis | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |x|
Sceloporus zosteromus | | | | | | | | | | | | |x| |x|x| | |x
Sceloporus becki | |x| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Sceloporus biseriatus becki | | |x|x| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Phrynosoma cerroense | | | | | | | | | | | | |x| | | | | |
Gerrhonotus scincicauda | |x|x|x| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |x
Gerrhonotus scincicauda ignavus| | | | | | | | | |?|x| | | | | | | |x
Xantusia riversiana | | | | | |x|x|x|x| | | | | | | | | |
Verticaria hyperythra beldingi | | | | | | | | | | | | |x| |x| | | |x
Cnemidophorus rubidus | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |x|x| | |x
Cnemidophorus multiscutatus | | | | | | | | | | | | |x| | | | | |
Cnemidophorus labialis | | | | | | | | | | | | |x| | | | | |
Bascanion anthonyi | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |x|
Bascanion laterale fuliginosum | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |x| | |
Pituophis catenifer | | | | | | | | | | |x| | | | | | | |x
Crotalus exsul | | | | | | | | | | | | |x| | | | | |
Crotalus oregonus | | | | | | | |x| |x| | | | | | | | |x
Crotalus mitchellii | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |x| | |x
-------------------------------+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-
Little can be stated about the faunal relationships of the various
islands beyond the fact that all except, probably, the Farallons are
clearly Sonoran. Of the island reptiles, only fourteen are not known
to live on the mainland. These are
Autodax lugubris farallonensis,
Batrachoseps pacificus,
Uta martinensis,
Uta stellata,
Uta auriculata,
Uta clarionensis,
Sceloporus becki,
Phrynosoma cerroense,
Xantusia riversiana,
Cnemidophorus multiscutatus,
Cnemidophorus labialis,
Bascanion anthonyi,
Bascanion laterale fuliginosum,
Crotalus exsul.
Although the evidence is thus too meager to enable one to speak
positively, it would seem that the probable faunal relationship is
about as follows:
TRANSITION ZONE.
_Pacific Fauna:_
Farallon Islands.
UPPER AUSTRAL ZONE.
_Californian Fauna:_
San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Ana Capa.
_San Diegan Fauna:_
San Nicolas, Santa Barbara, Santa Catalina, San Clemente.
Los Coronados, San Martin.
Perhaps San Benito, Cerros, Natividad.
LOWER AUSTRAL ZONE.
Perhaps San Benito, Cerros, Natividad.
Magdalena, Santa Margarita.
Socorro, Clarion.
SOUTH FARALLON ISLAND.
No reptiles have been found on the Farallon Islands and it is probable
that none occur there. The amphibians are represented on South
Farallon Island by a salamander which has been regarded as identical
with _Autodax lugubris_ Hallowell. Specimens from this island,
however, are much more profusely spotted or blotched with yellow than
is the mainland form of this species. In examining series of specimens
one finds a few individuals from the mainland as heavily spotted as
some of the Farallon specimens, but the average difference seems
constant and the extremes are very dissimilar. I therefore propose
that the Farallon Island form be called
1. =Autodax lugubris farallonensis= subsp. nov.
PLATE II.
_Anaides lugubris_ YARROW, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. no.
24, 1882, p. 158 [part].
_Autodax lugubris_ COPE, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. no. 34,
1889, p. 185 [part]; KEELER, Zoe, v. 3, 1892, p. 154.
_Diagnosis._--Similar to _Autodax lugubris_ Hallow, but yellow spots
more numerous and often larger.
_Type._--Cal. Acad. Sci. No. 3731, South Farallon Island, Charles
Fuchs, February 8, 1899.
_Description of Type._--Head elongate, depressed, with truncate,
protruding snout; nostril small, a little above and behind the corner
of snout, with groove running down to edge of lip, separated from
its fellow and from orbit by length of eye-slit; lip margin long and
undulating; maxillary and mandibular teeth large; palatine teeth
small, in series running back from each inner nostril and forming a
V-shaped figure; a large well-defined patch of parasphenoid teeth
divided by a slight median groove and posterior notch; tongue large,
long, ovate, with a small posterior notch, free except along the
median line; neck short, somewhat constricted, a well-developed
gular fold; body subfusiform, diminishing toward both extremities;
13 transverse costal grooves between limbs, extending from a short
distance from vertebral line entirely across belly; tail conical
with similar transverse grooves; limbs well-developed, posterior
longer than anterior, toes overlapping when adpressed; digits 4-5,
well-developed, nearly free, with slight terminal disc-like expansion;
third finger longest, first short, second and fourth nearly equal;
first toe short, second and fifth and third and fourth nearly equal;
skin everywhere smooth, but dotted with the mouths of small glands.
Color above smoky seal-brown, lightest on the snout and limbs, dotted,
spotted and blotched with pale straw-yellow on top and sides of head,
neck, body, limbs and tail; largest blotches, on sides of neck, 2 by 4
millimetres. Lower surfaces dirty yellowish white.
Length to anus 72[1] 38 58 66 67 75
Length of tail 64 33 50 52 56 71
Snout to gular fold 20 11 17 18 19 20
Nostril to orbit 4 2½ 3 4 3½ 4
Fore limb 21 13 18 19 20 22
Hind limb 24 15 20 20 22 24
[Footnote 1: Type.]
Sixteen specimens were collected by Mr. Fuchs on South Farallon
Island, February 8, 1899, and four by Mr. L. M. Loomis, July 9, 1896.
They were found under piles of loose stone.
The spots on the type specimen are larger and somewhat more numerous
than on any of the others.
SAN MIGUEL ISLAND.
I know of no records of reptiles or amphibians from San Miguel Island.
Two species of lizards and a _Batrachoseps_ were secured on this
island by Mr. R. H. Beck while collecting for the California Academy
of Sciences.
=1. Batrachoseps pacificus= _Cope_.
PLATE III.
_Hemidactylium pacificum_ COPE, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci.
Phila. 1865, p. 195.
_Batrachoseps pacificus_ COPE, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci.
Phila. 1869, pp. 97, 98; YARROW, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus.
no. 24, 1882, p. 153 [part?]; BOULENGER, Cat. Batrach.
Grad. 1882, p. 59; COPE, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. no. 34,
1889, p. 129 [part?].
_Batrachoseps pacificus_ was described by Professor Cope, in 1865,
from a specimen said to have been collected at Santa Barbara,
California. Two specimens from San Francisco were afterward referred
to this species. All of the specimens I have examined from both these
localities are of the common form known as _B. attenuatus_. I was,
therefore, inclined to doubt the existence of _B. pacificus_ as a
distinct species until I examined eight specimens collected by Dr.
Eisen on Santa Rosa Island in 1897. In March, 1903, Mr. R. H. Beck
secured on San Miguel a large series of a _Batrachoseps_ which seems
to differ in no respect from that found on Santa Rosa Island, but
which is very distinct from the species of the mainland.
These island salamanders agree in all important points with the
original description of _B. pacificus_, but since the published
descriptions of this species are not very complete, I sent a specimen
from San Miguel Island to my friend Dr. Stejneger with a request that
he compare it directly with the type. This he has very kindly done,
and his conclusion is as follows:
"I have carefully compared it with the type of _Batrachoseps
pacificus_ and find them to agree completely. I have no doubt they
represent the same species. As for the origin of our specimen I can
only say that our record book shows the following entry: '6733.
_Batrichoseps pacificus_ (Type) Santa Barbara Cal. Dr. Hayes. 1881
Oct. 28. 1.' This entry is evidently made many years after the
numbering of the specimen which took place in 1866, probably at the
time tin-tags were substituted for the old labels most of which were
destroyed as in this case. The entry is in an unknown boyish hand
and is probably made from the destroyed label. The double error,
_i_ in _Batrachoseps_ and _e_ in Hays, shows that it was made by an
ignoramus. I can find no other record of specimens received from the
same source, but in the S. I. reports from 1864-67 I find noted that
a Dr. W. W. Hays sent birds and fishes to the museum from 'Southern
California'. The Santa Barbara locality is therefore not above
suspicion. The other two specimens credited in Cope's Man. Batr. p.
130 to _B. pacificus_, viz. No. 4006 San Francisco, Cal. R. D. Cutts,
have not been seen here since I took charge of the collection in 1889.
In the record book there is entered in the remark column 'Destroyed
(C)' (C) standing for Cope. The specific name _Batrachoseps pacificus_
is in Cope's handwriting, while the locality San Francisco and the
name of the collector are in Prof. Baird's hand."
In the light of all this it appears that the type of _Batrachoseps
pacificus_ may perhaps have been secured on some fishing trip from
Santa Barbara to Santa Rosa or San Miguel, and that the specimens from
San Francisco most probably were misidentified by Cope.
_Batrachoseps pacificus_ is a larger species than _Batrachoseps
attenuatus_. Its general appearance, owing to the greater broadness
of head and body, is very suggestive of the various species of
_Plethodon_. This resemblance is carried further in one specimen by
the presence of five digits on one hind foot. Structurally, however,
the species is a true _Batrachoseps_; that is to say, the tongue is
adherent anteriorly, the digits are normally 4-4, the premaxillary is
single, and there is a large parietal fontanelle.
_Diagnosis._--Costal grooves usually seventeen (rarely sixteen
or eighteen); head much broader than body; color yellowish brown
above, white or yellow below.
_Description._--General form elongate, slender; body cylindric
or somewhat flattened; tail conical, a little longer than
head and body; head depressed, rather broad, nearly circular
in outline from above; snout rounded or truncate from above,
truncate and high in profile; eyes large and rather prominent,
separated anteriorly by about the length of the orbital slit;
nostrils small, near corners of snout, separated by a little
more than their distance from orbits; a very indistinct subnasal
groove, not extending to margin of lip; upper jaw overhanging
lower; line of lip nearly straight to below eye, then deflected
downward; palatine teeth in 2 nearly straight very oblique
series which nearly meet on the median line posteriorly and
anteriorly do not extend to the internal nares; parasphenoid
teeth separated by a narrow space posteriorly but confluent
anteriorly, extending nearly to the palatine series; internal
nares rather small, in front of the anterior ends of the
series of palatine teeth; tongue large, oval, not emarginate,
attached along the median line, free laterally and posteriorly;
neck not distinct from body, with several vertical and 2 or
3 longitudinal grooves; gular fold well marked, continued
forward on side of neck to eye; 1 or 2 indistinct grooves
anterior to gular fold; costal grooves between limbs usually
17, occasionally 16 or 18,[2] continued nearly to midline on
back and belly; limbs short, weak, each with 4 digits; digits
with rounded knob-like ends, inner digit short, rudimental,
others well-developed, second and fourth nearly equal, third
longest, web small or absent; tail more slender than body, with
well-marked lateral grooves; a more or less indistinct dorsal
longitudinal groove, most distinct on neck and pelvic region;
skin smooth with minute pits; adpressed limbs widely separated.
[Footnote 2: In fifty specimens the costal grooves are 17 in
forty, 16 in six, and 18 in four.]
The color above in alcoholic specimens is yellowish brown
(cinnamon to mummy brown) paler on the head and limbs and often
becoming fawn-color on the tail. The upper lip and all the lower
surfaces are white or dull yellow. Young specimens are much
darker than adults, and the lower surfaces often are minutely
dotted with brown.
Length to anus 25 36 49 52 52 56
Length of tail 20 31 64 56 63 59
Width of head 3½ 5 7 6½ 7 8
Snout to orbit 2 2 3 3 3 3
Snout to gular fold 6 7½ 10 10 10 10½
Snout to fore limb 7 10 13 13 14 14
Between limbs 15 22 31 36 33 38
Fore limb 5 7 9 9 8½ 9
Hind limb 5½ 7½ 9½ 9½ 9½ 10
=2. Sceloporus becki= sp. nov.
PLATE IV.
The _Sceloporus_ of the mainland at Santa Barbara is the ordinary _S.
occidentalis_; that is to say, it is the smaller form with a complete
series of scales between the large supraoculars and the median head
plates, with from thirty-five to forty-six dorsal scales between the
interparietal plate and the back of the thighs, with keeled scales
on the back of the thigh, and with two blue patches on the throat.
Five specimens from San Miguel Island resemble this species closely
in size, but are more nearly like _S. biseriatus_ in coloration,
and differ from both in the possession of certain characters most
unusual in a member of the _S. undulatus_ group. I take pleasure in
naming this island form in honor of Mr. R. H. Beck, who collected the
specimens.
_Diagnosis._--Frontal and parietal plates separated from
enlarged supraoculars by a series of small scales or granules;
frontoparietal plate in contact with enlarged supraoculars;
scales on back of thigh smaller than those in front of anus;
43-48 dorsals between interparietal and back of thighs; scales
on back of thigh keeled; whole throat and chin blue crossed by
diagonal black lines which unite posteriorly with a large black
patch extending across throat from shoulder to shoulder.
_Type._--Adult male, Cal. Acad. Sci. No. 4537, San Miguel
Island, California, R. H. Beck, March 26, 1903.
_Description._--Head and body little depressed; nostril opening
much nearer to end of snout than to orbit; upper head shields
smooth, moderately large and slightly convex, interparietal
largest; frontal divided transversely; parietal and frontal
plates separated from enlarged supraoculars by a series of small
plates or granules; frontoparietal in contact with enlarged
supraoculars; superciliaries long and strongly imbricate; middle
subocular very long, narrow and strongly keeled; rostral plate
of moderate height but great width; labials long, low and nearly
rectangular; symphyseal large and pentangular; some series of
enlarged sublabials; gulars smooth, imbricate, often emarginate
posteriorly; ear-opening large, slightly oblique, with anterior
denticulation of smooth acuminate scales; scales on back
equal-sized, keeled, mucronate with slight denticulation, and
arranged in nearly parallel longitudinal rows; lateral scales
smaller and directed obliquely upward; upper and anterior
surfaces of limbs with strongly keeled and mucronate scales;
posterior surface of thigh with small, acuminate, keeled scales;
ventral scales much smaller than dorsals, smooth, imbricate, and
usually bicuspid; tail furnished with slightly irregular whorls
of strongly keeled and pointed scales which are much larger and
rougher above than below, where they are smooth proximally;
femoral pores 14-16; 9-12 dorsal scales equaling length of
shielded part of head; number of scales in a row between
interparietal plate and a line connecting posterior surfaces of
thighs varying from 43-48; males with enlarged postanal plates.
The color above is grayish, brownish, or greenish blue, with a
series of dark brown blotches on each side of the back. A pale
longitudinal band separates the dorsal from the lateral regions.
The sides are brownish or grayish, mottled with darker brown
and dotted or suffused with green or pale blue. The head is
usually crossed by narrow brown lines, more or less irregular in
distribution. A brown line connects the orbit and upper corner
of the ear, and is continued backward on the neck. There is a
large blue patch on each side of the belly, bordered internally
with black in highly colored males. The chin and throat are
blue, pale anteriorly and changing to black posteriorly, crossed
by narrow oblique black lines which converge posteriorly and
blend with the black patches on the throat and in front of the
shoulders in males. There is a white patch at each side of the
anus, and a yellowish white band along the series of femoral
pores.
Length to anus 64 66 70 70[3]
Length of tail 76 68 78 79
Snout to ear 14 13 14 16
Width of head 14 12 14 15
Shielded part of head 14 13 14 15
Fore limb 27 26 27 30
Hind limb 41 39 41 46
Base of fifth to end of fourth toe 16 15 16 18
[Footnote 3: Type.]
This species is in general appearance similar to _S. occidentalis_,
but differs in the contact of the frontoparietal and supraocular
shields, the coloration of the throat, and the somewhat more feeble
carination and mucronation of its dorsal and caudal scales. Specimens
from Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz islands, as stated below, seem to show
that this form has been developed from _S. biseriatus_ stock.
Five specimens (Nos. 4534-4538) in the collection of the California
Academy of Sciences were secured by Mr. R. H. Beck on San Miguel
Island, March 26, 1903.
=3. Gerrhonotus scincicauda= _Skilton_.
One specimen (Cal. Acad. Sci. No. 4539) was taken by Mr. Beck on San
Miguel Island, March 26, 1903. It has dorsals in 14½ × 49 rows,
temporals smooth, scales on arm and forearm smooth, and dark ventral
lines along the middles of the scale rows. It seems to differ from
the Santa Rosa Island specimens only in the slightly more feeble
carination of the scales generally, the small size of the azygous
prefrontal and of the scales on the under surface of the forearm, and
a tendency toward the formation of fourteen rows of ventral scales
shown by the presence of a few small scales along the edge of each
lateral fold in addition to the usual twelve longitudinal rows. There
are sixty-six ventrals in a row between the chin and the anus.
SANTA ROSA ISLAND.
I have examined one species of _Batrachoseps_ and two kinds of lizards
from this island. The _Gerrhonotus_ has already been reported from the
island, the others are new to its known fauna.
=1. Batrachoseps pacificus= _Cope_.
Dr. Gustav Eisen secured eight specimens of _Batrachoseps_ on Santa
Rosa Island in June, 1897. These are now in the collection of the
Academy (Nos. 3877-3880 and 3891-3894) and seem to differ in no
respect from the form found on San Miguel Island. All have seventeen
costal grooves.
The measurements of these specimens are
Length to anus 21 22 24 32 33 35 41 42
Length of tail 14 16 21 23 23 .. 46 27
Width of head 3 3 3¾ 5 4½ 5 5 6
Snout to orbit 1½ 1¼ 1½ 2 2¼ 2 2¼ 2½
Snout to gular fold 5 5 6 7¼ 7 8 8½ 9½
Snout to fore limb 6 6 8 10 9 10 12 12
Between limbs 13 14 15 21 19 23 26 26
Fore limb 4½ 4 5 6¼ 6 6 7¼ 8
Hind limb 4½ 4 5 6½ 6 6¼ 7½ 8
=2. Sceloporus biseriatus becki= _Van Denburgh_.
A series of eight _Scelopori_ collected on Santa Rosa Island by Dr.
Gustav Eisen in June, 1897, seems to show that the differentiation
from _S. biseriatus_ has not progressed so far on this island as on
San Miguel.[4] Thus although all the adult specimens from Santa Rosa
Island show the coloration of the San Miguel Island form, only two
have the typical arrangement of the supraoculars, while the other
six specimens have the frontoparietal separated from the enlarged
supraoculars. The less highly colored young males show a single
median blue throat patch, as in _S. biseriatus_, indicating that the
island lizard is more closely related to that species than to _S.
occidentalis_.
[Footnote 4: Dr. Merriam tells me that a parallel is found in the
island foxes, whose characters are constant on San Miguel but not on
the other islands.]
The fact that the characters of this form seem to be constant on
San Miguel while varying toward _S. biseriatus_ on Santa Rosa and
Santa Cruz islands raises an interesting question in nomenclature:
Should the San Miguel Island form be regarded as a species or as a
subspecies? If these lizards inhabited a peninsula one would use a
trinomial for them all, but since they are found on well separated
islands the facts seem to be best expressed by the nomenclature
adopted above.
3. =Gerrhonotus scincicauda= _Skilton_.
PLATE VII, FIGS. 3-4.
_Gerrhonotus scincicauda_ VAN DENBURGH, Occas. Papers,
Cal. Acad. Sci. 5, 1897, p. 106.
I am unable to distinguish six specimens (Cal. Acad. Sci. Nos.
3881-3883 and 3896-3898) collected on Santa Rosa Island from the
species now known as _G. scincicauda_; that is to say, the form with
fourteen longitudinal rows of scales, single interoccipital plate,
large azygous prefrontal, longitudinal lines along the middle of each
row of ventral scales, and smooth temporals. This clearly is the form
to which Baird and Girard applied the name _G. scincicauda_, but that
it is the species originally described by Skilton seems far from
certain.[5]
[Footnote 5: Skilton's description, which seems to apply rather to the
species afterward named by Baird and Girard _Gerrhonotus principis_,
is as follows:
"=Tropidolepis scincicauda=, n. s. Slender, tail much longer than
body, cylindrical. Dermal plates of the body and tail, carinate above,
smooth beneath, verticillate. The carinate plates in nine rows. Color,
dusky green above, light ash color below. A row of small dark spots on
each flank. Another row of smaller ones along the vertebral line. Some
of the dark colored scales on the flanks tipped with a whitish color.
Length five to five and a half inches."
The plate accompanying Skilton's article is so poor as to throw no
light on this question, and it seems best to make no change in the
nomenclature until some one has examined Skilton's specimens, one of
which, according to Yarrow's Catalogue, is No. 3089 of the National
Museum collection.]
The specimens from Santa Rosa Island all have dorsals in fourteen
longitudinal series. The number of transverse series between the
interoccipital plate and the backs of the thighs is fifty in one
specimen, fifty-one in three, fifty-two in one, and fifty-three
in one. One has the brachial scales very weakly keeled. They were
collected by Dr. Gustav Eisen in June, 1897.
SANTA CRUZ ISLAND.
A _Hyla_ and two species of lizards have heretofore been recorded
as inhabiting Santa Cruz Island. Another lizard is here reported for the
first time.
=1. Hyla regilla= _Baird & Girard_.
_Hyla regilla_ YARROW, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. no. 24,
1882, p. 171; COPE, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. no. 34, 1889,
p. 360.
Yarrow and Cope record this species as having been collected on
Santa Cruz Island by Mr. H. W. Henshaw in June, 1875, but another
portion of the same lot of specimens (U. S. Nat. Mus. No. 8686) is
stated to be from Santa Cruz, California. Mr. Henshaw tells me he
never has collected in Santa Cruz County, and that these specimens
unquestionably came from Santa Cruz Island where he collected in the
summer of 1875.
=2. Uta stansburiana= _Baird & Girard_.
_Uta stansburiana_ YARROW, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. no.
24, 1882, p. 56; TOWNSEND, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. v. 13,
1890, p. 144; VAN DENBURGH, Occas. Papers, Cal. Acad.
Sci. 5, 1897, p. 68; COPE, Report, U. S. Nat. Mus. 1898
(1900), p. 310.
The register of the United States National Museum states that two
specimens of this lizard (No. 8619) were collected by Dr. O. Loew,
on Santa Cruz Island in June, 1875. These lizards are still in the
National collection and are of considerable interest since they, and
two from Ana Capa Island, are the only ones I have seen which approach
the San Benito Island _Uta_ (described below) in the character of
their dorsal lepidosis. That these specimens actually were collected
by Dr. Loew on Santa Cruz Island is, I think, open to little doubt,
since he, with Mr. H. W. Henshaw and Dr. J. T. Rothrock, visited this
island in June, 1875.[6]
[Footnote 6: See Report, Chief of Engineers, U. S. A. 1876, pt. 3,
pp. 435, 445, etc.]
A series of eight specimens collected on Santa Cruz Island, February
7, 1889, by Mr. C. H. Townsend of the U. S. Fish Commission, (U. S.
Nat. Mus. Nos. 15909-15917) are all of the ordinary _Uta stansburiana_
type with imbricate dorsals and mucronate caudals. Four others, taken
by Mr. Joseph Grinnell at Friar's Harbor, Santa Cruz Island, are also
of the usual type. These have femoral pores 13-14, 15-15, 12-13, and
15-15.
=3. Sceloporus biseriatus becki= _Van Denburgh_.
Mr. Joseph Grinnell has kindly sent me five specimens of the
_Sceloporus_ of Santa Cruz Island, three of which he has given to the
Academy. All five show the characteristic coloration of _S. becki_.
Three have the supraoculars in contact with the frontoparietals on
both sides of the head, one has these scales in contact on one side
but separated on the other, and the fifth specimen has granules
intervening on both sides.
=4. Gerrhonotus scincicauda= _Skilton_.
_Gerrhonotus scincicaudus_ YARROW, Bull. U. S. Nat.
Mus. no. 24, 1882, p. 48; VAN DENBURGH, Occas. Papers,
Cal. Acad. Sci. 5, 1897, p. 106.
_Gerrhonotus multicarinatus_ COPE, Report, U. S. Nat.
Mus. 1898 (1900), p. 525.
Yarrow and Cope record two specimens (U. S. Nat. Mus. No. 8626)
collected on Santa Cruz Island by Mr. H. W. Henshaw in June, 1875. One
of these is still in the National Museum, where I examined it some
years ago.
ANA CAPA ISLAND.
I believe no reptiles have been recorded from Ana Capa. Only the
following species has come into my hands.
=1. Uta stansburiana= _Baird & Girard_.
Mr. Joseph Grinnell has sent me seven specimens collected on Ana
Capa Island, September 4, 1903. Five of these are typical _U.
stansburiana_, but the other two have dorsals similar to those of the
two specimens collected by Dr. Loew on Santa Cruz Island; that is to
say, they approach in this respect the _Uta_ of San Benito Island. The
dorsal scales, however, are well keeled and the caudals are of the
normal type. The femoral pores in the Ana Capa specimens are 14-14,
14-15, 14-?, 14-15, 14-14, 14-15, and 14-15.
SAN NICOLAS ISLAND.
San Nicolas Island is the type locality of _Xantusia riversiana_. No
other reptile has been found there.
=1. Xantusia riversiana= _Cope_.
PLATE V, FIG. 2.
_Xantusia riversiana_ COPE, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci.
Phila. 1883, p. 29; RIVERS, Am. Nat. v. 23, 1889, p.
1100; VAN DENBURGH, Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci. 2d ser. v. 5,
1895, p. 534; VAN DENBURGH, Occas. Papers, Cal. Acad.
Sci. 5, 1897, p. 132; COPE, Report, U. S. Nat. Mus.
1898 (1900), p. 552.
In describing this species Cope failed to state where his specimens
were collected. Rivers later assigned them to San Nicolas Island, but
the matter has remained open to question. I am, therefore, very glad
to be able to record the fact that Mr. Joseph Grinnell has sent me
three specimens of this _Xantusia_ taken by himself on San Nicolas
Island, May 22-23, 1897. One of these specimens is uniform drab, with
a few dark spots. The others are of the handsome striped style of
coloration (see plate).
SANTA BARBARA ISLAND.
I believe no reptiles or amphibians have been recorded from this
island. I have seen only the following species:
=1. Xantusia riversiana= _Cope_.
Mr. Joseph Grinnell has sent me four Xantusias from Santa Barbara
Island. They are smaller than the specimens I have seen from the other
islands, but seem to differ in no other respect. The largest is 64
mm. from snout to vent. All are dark drab above with small, discrete
black spots. One shows traces of longitudinal dorsal bands near the
tail.
SANTA CATALINA ISLAND.
One salamander, two lizards, and a rattlesnake have been taken on
Santa Catalina.
=1. Batrachoseps attenuatus= (_Eschscholtz_).
A single specimen collected at Avalon, Santa Catalina Island, by Mr.
A. M. Drake (Cal. Acad. Sci. No. 3726) seems indistinguishable from
the mainland species. It has nineteen costal grooves, slender limbs,
and narrow head. The coloration is uniform slaty brown above, paler
below. Three specimens secured on this island by Mr. Fuchs differ from
this one only in the slightly paler coloration.
=2. Uta stansburiana= _Baird & Girard_.
_Uta stansburiana_ COPE, Report, U. S. Nat. Mus. 1898
(1900), p. 311.
This lizard has been recorded from Santa Catalina by Professor Cope.
Two specimens collected at Avalon by Mr. J. I. Carlson are in the
collection of the Academy (Nos. 4754 and 4755). They seem to be fairly
typical _U. stansburiana_ with moderately imbricate dorsals. The
femoral pores are thirteen or fourteen.
=3. Xantusia riversiana= _Cope_.
_Xantusia riversiana_ RIVERS, Am. Nat. v. 23, 1889, p.
1100; VAN DENBURGH, Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci. 2d ser. v. 5,
1895, p. 534; VAN DENBURGH, Occas. Papers, Cal. Acad.
Sci. 5, 1897, p. 132.
I have seen no specimens of this lizard from Santa Catalina, but Mr.
J. J. Rivers states that he has received several from this island.
=4. Crotalus oregonus= _Holbrook_.
_Crotalus lucifer_ YARROW, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. no.
24, 1882, p. 76; STEJNEGER, Report, U. S. Nat. Mus.
1893 (1895), p. 447.
Yarrow records a rattlesnake as having been taken by Mr. P. Schumacher
on Santa Catalina Island in 1876. Stejneger also refers to its
presence there. I have seen no snakes from any of the Californian
islands.
SAN CLEMENTE ISLAND.
Two species of lizards are known from this island.
=1. Uta stansburiana= _Baird & Girard_.
_Uta stansburiana_ TOWNSEND, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. v.
13, 1890, p. 144; VAN DENBURGH, Occas. Papers, Cal.
Acad. Sci. 5, 1897, p. 68; COPE, Report, U. S. Nat.
Mus. 1898 (1900), pp. 310, 311.
Two specimens were taken on San Clemente Island by C. H. Townsend in
1889. Mr. A. W. Anthony and Dr. E. A. Mearns also found the species
there and sent specimens to the National Museum.
I have examined those collected by Mr. Townsend and Mr. Anthony and
six specimens sent me by Mr. Joseph Grinnell, of which three are now
in the collection of the Academy, and am unable to distinguish the
island lizards from the form originally described by Baird and Girard.
The femoral pores in three specimens are eleven, twelve, and fourteen.
=2. Xantusia riversiana= _Cope_.
PLATE V, FIG. 1.
_Xantusia riversiana_ COPE, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus.
v. 12, 1889, p. 147; VAN DENBURGH, Proc. Cal. Acad.
Sci. 2d ser. v. 5, 1895, p. 534; VAN DENBURGH, Occas.
Papers, Cal. Acad. Sci. 5, 1897, p. 132; COPE, Report,
U. S. Nat. Mus. 1898 (1900), pp. 552, 553.
This lizard was found on San Clemente by Mr. C. H. Townsend. I have
examined several specimens in the collections of the University of
California and the California Academy of Sciences without finding
differences between them and specimens from San Nicolas and Santa
Barbara Islands.
LOS CORONADOS.
I believe that only one reptile from Los Coronados is represented in
collections, but I am informed that several other kinds, including
_Gerrhonotus_ and _Hypsiglena_, occur on these islands[7].
[Footnote 7: Since this was written I have been informed by Dr. F.
Baker, of San Diego, that he has taken the following reptiles on these
islands:--
North Coronado:
_Gerrhonotus scincicauda_ [_ignavus?_], July 3, 1898,
_Eumeces skiltonianus_, July 3, 1898.
South Coronado:
_Uta stansburiana_, July 3, 1898,
_Gerrhonotus scincicauda_ [_ignavus?_], July 3, 1898,
_Cnemidophorus stejnegeri_, July 3, 1898,
_Hypsiglena ochrorhynchus_, August 13, 1898,
_Crotalus_ [_oregonus_], August 13, 1898.
]
=1. Crotalus oregonus= _Holbrook_.
_Crotalus adamanteus atrox_ STREETS, Bull. U. S. Nat.
Mus. no. 7, 1877, p. 40; YARROW, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus.
no. 24, 1882, p. 75 [part].
_Crotalus atrox_ VAN DENBURGH, Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci. 2d
ser. v. 5, 1895, p. 156 [part].
_Crotalus lucifer_ STEJNEGER, Report, U. S. Nat. Mus.
1893 (1895), pp. 445, 447.
_Crotalus confluentus confluentus_ COPE, Report, U. S.
Nat. Mus. 1898 (1900), p. 1173 [part].
Streets recorded as _Crotalus adamanteus atrox_ a rattlesnake which he
secured on Los Coronados. Dr. Stejneger has shown that this specimen,
which is still in the National Museum, is a Pacific Rattlesnake.
SAN MARTIN ISLAND.
The only reptile heretofore known from San Martin is a gopher snake
found by Dr. Streets. The Academy has also specimens of two species
of lizards from the island, both of which are here described as new.
The _Uta_ probably is confined to the island, while the _Gerrhonotus_
seems to be found throughout the San Diegan Fauna.
=1. Uta martinensis= sp. nov.
PLATE VI.
_Diagnosis._--Similar to _U. stansburiana_ but larger; fifth
toe reaching to or beyond end of second; dorsals imbricate,
mucronate, strongly keeled; scales on upper surfaces of arm
and thigh keeled; scales of ear-denticulation longer than the
longest diameter of largest temporal; caudals large, imbricate,
strongly keeled and mucronate.
_Type._--Adult male, Cal. Acad. Sci. No. 4698, San Martin
Island, Lower California, Mexico, R. H. Beck, May 3, 1903.
_Description of the Type._--Body and head considerably
depressed; snout low, rounded; nostrils large, opening upward
and outward nearer to end of snout than to orbit; head plates
large, smooth, nearly flat, interparietal largest; frontal
divided transversely; 3 or 4 enlarged supraoculars, separated
from the frontals and frontoparietals by 1 series of small
plates; superciliaries long, narrow and projecting; central
subocular very long, narrow and strongly keeled; rostral and
supralabials long and low; 6 supralabials; symphyseal small,
followed on each side by a series of 5 or more large plates
which are separated from the infralabials by 1 or 2 series of
sublabials; gular region covered with smooth, hexagonal or
rounded scales changing to granules on the sides of the neck and
to larger imbricate scales on the strong gular fold, largest
on the denticulate edge of gular fold where larger than scales
on belly; a group of enlarged plates in front of ear-opening;
ear denticulation very long, of 3 scales, largest exceeding
in length longest diameter of largest plate in front of ear;
back covered centrally with nearly uniform imbricate, keeled
scales which change gradually to granules on neck and sides of
body, and become mucronate posteriorly; scales largest on tail,
strongly imbricate, strongly keeled and mucronate above and
on sides; posterior surfaces of thighs and arms covered with
small granular scales similar to those on sides of body; other
surfaces of limbs provided with imbricate scales, keeled on
upper surfaces of arm, forearm, thigh, leg, and foot; adpressed
fore limb not reaching insertion of thigh; fifth finger reaching
about to end of second; fifth toe reaching to or beyond end of
second; femoral pores 15; 17-23 of largest dorsals equaling
shielded part of head.
Head above grayish olive; central portion of neck and back dark
brown, with 2 series of rather indefinite darker brown blotches
each bordered behind and sometimes laterally by pale blue
scales; some scattered pale blue dots on back and upper surfaces
of limbs and tail; tail marbled with brown and blue; sides
mottled with brown and pale bluish yellow, forming stripes on
sides of neck; chin and gular region indigo, mottled with bluish
yellow at sides; postaxillary blotch blackish indigo; lower
surfaces of body, limbs and tail grayish indigo.
Length to anus 62
Length of tail 92
Snout to ear 15
Shielded part of head 14
Width of head 13
Fore limb 26
Hind limb 46
Base of fifth to end of fourth toe 18
Fifth toe 10
Only one specimen of this _Uta_ was secured.
=2. Gerrhonotus scincicauda ignavus= subsp. nov.
PLATE VII, FIGS. 1-2.
_Diagnosis._--Similar to _G. scincicauda_ but with scales
generally more strongly carinate; temporal scales keeled; dorsal
and caudal scales strongly keeled; scales of arm and forearm
keeled; lower lateral caudals keeled; dorsals in 14 (sometimes
12-2/2) longitudinal rows; dark lines along the middles of
ventral rows; azygous prefrontal large; interoccipital single;
back usually with complete dark cross-bands.
_Type._--Cal. Acad. Sci. No. 4699, San Martin Island, Lower
California, Mexico, R. H. Beck, May 3, 1903.
_Description._--Body long and rather slender, with short limbs
and very long tail; head pointed with flat top and nearly
vertical sides, its temporal regions often greatly swollen in
old specimens; rostral plate rounded in upper outline; on top
of head behind rostral a pair of small internasals, a pair of
small frontonasals, a very large azygous prefrontal, a pair of
large prefrontals, a long frontal, a pair of frontoparietals, 2
parietals separated by an interparietal, a pair of occipitals,
and an interoccipital; 2 series (of 5 and 3) supraoculars and a
series of small superciliaries; temporal scales keeled, lower
sometimes only weakly; upper labials much larger than lower;
2 series of large sublabial plates below infralabials, lower
larger; gular scales smooth and imbricate; scales on arm and
forearm keeled; scales on upper surfaces and sides of neck,
body and tail large, rhomboidal, slightly oblique, strongly
keeled, strengthened with bony plates, and arranged in both
transverse and longitudinal series; number of longitudinal
dorsal series 12-2/2-14; number of transverse series between
interoccipital plate and backs of thighs 42-43; a band of
granules along each side from large ear-opening to anus, usually
hidden by a strong fold; ventral plates about size of dorsals,
smooth, imbricate and arranged in 12 longitudinal series; number
of scales between symphyseal plate and anus 60-63.
The ground color above is olive-brown, more grayish on the
sides, crossed by from 9-11 dark bands. These dark bands may be
brown or brownish black, continuous or broken, and are darker
laterally, where their scales are tipped with white. Tail
proximally marked like back, distally unicolor. Head and limbs
unicolor or with traces of olive-brown mottlings. Lower surfaces
suffused with gray, edges of scales lighter, darker gray or
slate-colored lines along the middle of each longitudinal scale
row.
Length to anus 103 110 117[8]
Length of tail 167 128[2] 125[9]
Snout to ear 21 25 26
Width of head 14 19 20
Head to interoccipital 17 20 21
Fore limb 27 30 33
Hind limb 34 38 41
Base of fifth to end of fourth toe 11 12 13
[Footnote 8: Type.]
[Footnote 9: Reproduced.]
The three specimens of _Gerrhonotus_ from San Martin Island are
very similar to the species now known as _G. scincicauda_, but are
much rougher than specimens from central and northern California.
Reëxamination of the Californian material at hand shows that the San
Martin Island form is found throughout the San Diegan Fauna and the
western slope of the southern Sierra Nevada below the range of _G.
palmeri_. It may be distinguished from its more northern relative by
the following synopsis of characters:--
a.--Temporals smooth; scales on arm smooth; scales on forearm
smooth or weakly keeled; lateral caudals five scales behind anus
smooth 6-9 rows from inferior mid-caudal line.
=G. scincicauda.=
a.^{2}--Temporals keeled; scales on arm keeled; scales on
forearm keeled; lateral caudals 5 scales behind anus smooth only
4-5 rows from inferior mid-caudal line.
=G. s. ignavus.=