_Pituophis sayi bellona_ STREETS, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus.
no. 7, 1877, p. 40; YARROW, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. no.
24, 1882, p. 106; COPE, Report, U. S. Nat. Mus. 1898
(1900), p. 876.
_Pituophis catenifer deserticola_ VAN DENBURGH, Proc.
Cal. Acad. Sci. 2d ser. v. 5, 1895, P. 149.
A young gopher snake taken on San Martin Island by Dr. Streets is
still in the National Museum. The Academy has an adult specimen (No.
4702) collected there by Mr. Beck, May 3, 1903.
SAN BENITO ISLAND.
I know of no records of reptiles from San Benito. The Academy has
received specimens of but one kind of lizard, which is here described
as new.
=1. Uta stellata= sp. nov.
PLATE VIII.
_Diagnosis._--Similar to _U. stansburiana_, but with dorsal
scales not imbricate, not mucronate, often separated by minute
granules, a few of the dorsal rows weakly keeled; caudals weakly
keeled and very shortly mucronate, not imbricate; fifth toe not
reaching end of second.
_Type._--Adult male, Cal. Acad. Sci. No. 4704, San Benito
Island, Lower California, Mexico, R. H. Beck, May 6, 1903.
_Description._--Body and head considerably depressed; snout
low, rounded and rather long; 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; 4 or 5 enlarged supraoculars, separated
from the frontals by 1 and from the frontoparietals by 2 series
of granules; superciliaries long, narrow and projecting; central
subocular very long, narrow and strongly keeled; rostral and
supralabials long and low; 6 or 7 supralabials; symphyseal
moderately small, followed by 2 or 3 pairs of larger plates
separated from the infralabials by 1 or 2 series of moderately
enlarged sublabials; gular region covered with small, smooth,
hexagonal or rounded scales which change gradually to granules
on sides of neck and to larger imbricate scales on the strong
gular fold, largest on denticulate edge of gular fold where
somewhat larger than ventrals; several enlarged plates in
front of ear-opening; ear denticulation short, of 3 scales,
the largest not exceeding in length diameter of largest plate
in front of ear; back covered with tubercular scales of nearly
uniform size becoming granular toward neck and sides of body,
scales of central rows very weakly keeled, not imbricate, not
mucronate, often separated by minute granules; scales largest on
tail, very weakly keeled, shortly mucronate above and on sides,
not imbricate; 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, smooth
on arm and nearly smooth on forearm and thigh, keeled on upper
surface of leg; femoral pores 15 and 16; 26-30 largest dorsals
equal shielded part of head; fifth finger not reaching end of
second; fifth toe not reaching end of second; adpressed fore
limb not reaching insertion of thigh.
Head above uniform olive-brown; central portion of the neck,
back and base of tail with a uniform brown ground with thickly
scattered dots of pale blue on single scales; sides yellowish
brown with scattered scales of pale yellow; upper surfaces of
limbs and tail light brown dotted with pale blue; chin and
gular region deep indigo with yellowish marks laterally and on
labials; lower surfaces of body and limbs grayish indigo; large
postaxillary blotch of blackish indigo.
_Female._--Similar in all respects except femoral pores 13 and
15; light dots on back, limbs and tail indistinct; 2 rows of
dark brown dorsal blotches becoming 1 row on tail; an indistinct
series of brown lateral blotches; limbs with faint brown
cross-bars.
Sex ♀ ♂ (type)
Length to anus 49 61
Length of tail 59 76
Snout to ear 11 14
Shielded part of head 11 13
Width of head 10 12
Fore limb 22 26
Hind limb 37 43
Base of fifth to end of fourth toe 15 18
Two specimens of this lizard were secured.
CERROS ISLAND.
One amphibian and seven reptiles have been recorded from Cerros or
Cedros Island. I have no specimens from this island.
=1. Hyla regilla= _Baird & Girard_.
_Hyla regilla_ STREETS, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. no. 7,
1877, p. 35; YARROW, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. no. 24,
1882, p. 171; COPE, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. no. 34, 1889,
p. 360; VAN DENBURGH, Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci. 2d ser. v.
5, 1895, p. 556.
_Hyla curla_ BELDING, West Am. Scientist, v. 3, no. 24,
1887, p. 99.
Found by Dr. Streets near a spring of fresh water on the southeastern
side of the island. It was also taken by Mr. Belding.
=2. Uta stansburiana= _Baird & Girard_.
_Uta stansburiana_ STREETS, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. no.
7, 1877, p. 37; YARROW, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. no. 24,
1882, p. 57; BELDING, West Am. Scientist, v. 3, no. 24,
1887, p. 98; VAN DENBURGH, Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci. 2d
ser. v. 5, 1895, p. 105; COPE, Report, U. S. Nat. Mus.
1898 (1900), p. 310.
This _Uta_ was collected by Dr. Streets and Mr. Belding.
=3. Sceloporus zosteromus= _Cope_.
_Sceloporus clarki clarki_ BELDING, West Am. Scientist,
v. 3, no. 24, 1887, p. 99.
_Sceloporus zosteromus_ VAN DENBURGH, Proc. Cal. Acad.
Sci. 2d ser. v. 5, 1895, p. 110; BOULENGER, Proc. Zool.
Soc. Lond. 1897, p. 498; MOCQUARD, Nouv. Arch. Mus.
sér. 4, v. 1, 1899, p. 314.
This lizard has been taken only by Mr. Belding.
=4. Phrynosoma cerroense= _Stejneger_.
_Phrynosoma hernandezi_ BELDING, West Am. Scientist, v.
3, 1887, p. 99.
_Phrynosoma cerroense_ STEJNEGER, N. Am. Fauna, no. 7,
1893, p. 187; VAN DENBURGH, Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci. 2d
ser. v. 5, 1895, p. 119; COPE, Report, U. S. Nat. Mus.
1898 (1900), p. 428, fig. 75.
This form is known from a single specimen collected by Mr. Belding.
=5. Verticaria hyperythra beldingi= (_Stejneger_).
_Verticaria beldingi_ STEJNEGER Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus.
1894, p. 17.
_Verticaria hyperythra beldingi_ VAN DENBURGH, Proc.
Cal. Acad. Sci. 2d ser. v. 5, 1895, p. 131.
Cerros Island is the type locality of this form.
=6. Cnemidophorus multiscutatus= (_Cope_).
_Cnemidophorus tessellatus multiscutatus_ COPE, Trans.
Am. Philos. Soc. v. 17, art. 3, 1892, p. 38; COPE,
Report, U. S. Nat. Mus. 1898 (1900), p. 586.
_Cnemidophorus multiscutatus_ VAN DENBURGH, Proc. Cal.
Acad. Sci. 2d ser. v. 5, 1895, p. 126.
Professor Cope described this form from specimens secured on Cerros
Island.
=7. Cnemidophorus labialis= _Stejneger_.
_Cnemidophorus labialis_ STEJNEGER, Proc. U. S. Nat.
Mus. 1889, p. 643; COPE, Trans. Am. Philos. Soc. v. 17,
art. 3, 1892, p. 51; VAN DENBURGH, Proc. Cal. Acad.
Sci. 2d ser. v. 5, 1895, p. 128; COPE, Report, U. S.
Nat. Mus. 1898 (1900), p. 610.
Cerros Island is the type locality of this species also. Five
specimens were collected by Mr. Belding.
=8. Crotalus exsul= _Garman_.
_Crotalus exsul_ GARMAN, Mem. Mus. Compar. Zool. Camb.
v. 8, no. 3, 1883, pp. 114, 174; GARMAN, Bull. Essex
Inst. v. 16, no. 1, 1884, p. 35; VAN DENBURGH, Proc.
Cal. Acad. Sci. 2d ser. v. 5, 1895, p. 157.
Under this name Garman has described from two specimens a small
rattlesnake from Cerros Island. It seems very closely related to _C.
atrox_.
NATIVIDAD ISLAND.
I have seen only one lizard from this island.
=1. Uta stansburiana= _Baird & Girard_.
A single specimen (Cal. Acad. Sci. No. 4705) of this _Uta_ was secured
on Natividad by Mr. R. H. Beck, May 9, 1903.
MAGDALENA ISLAND.
I have elsewhere recorded six species of lizards from this island.
It is necessary only to mention them here. The specimens are in the
collection of the Academy.
=1. Dipsosaurus dorsalis= _Baird & Girard_.
_Dipsosaurus dorsalis_ VAN DENBURGH, Proc. Cal. Acad.
Sci. 2d ser. v. 5, 1895, p. 93.
One was secured by Mr. Bryant in March, 1889.
=2. Crotaphytus wislizenii= _Baird & Girard_.
_Crotaphytus copeii?_ VAN DENBURGH, Proc. Cal. Acad.
Sci. 2d ser. v. 5, 1895, p. 95.
Upon reëxamination, I am unable to separate two specimens from
Magdalena Island from the common form of this lizard.
=3. Uta nigricauda= _Cope_.
_Uta nigricauda_ VAN DENBURGH, Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci. 2d
ser. v. 5, 1895, p. 108.
Mr. Bryant secured a number of these lizards on Magdalena Island in
1888 and 1889.
=4. Sceloporus zosteromus= _Cope_.
_Sceloporus zosteromus_ VAN DENBURGH, Proc. Cal. Acad.
Sci. 2d ser. v. 5, 1895, p. 110; BOULENGER, Proc. Zool.
Soc. Lond. 1897, p. 499; MOCQUARD, Nouv. Arch. Mus.
sér. 4, 1899, P. 314; COPE, Report, U. S. Nat. Mus.
1898 (1900), p. 358.
The Academy has eight examples of this lizard taken on Magdalena by
Mr. Bryant in February and March, 1889.
=5. Verticaria hyperythra beldingi= (_Stejneger_).
_Verticaria hyperythra beldingi_ VAN DENBURGH, Proc.
Cal. Acad. Sci. 2d ser. v. 5, 1895, p. 132.
Three specimens were collected by Mr. Bryant in March, 1889.
=6. Cnemidophorus rubidus= (_Cope_).
_Cnemidophorus rubidus_ VAN DENBURGH, Proc. Cal. Acad.
Sci. 2d ser. v. 5, 1895, p. 127.
A lizard of this species was taken on Magdalena Island in March, 1889,
by Mr. W. E. Bryant.
SANTA MARGARITA ISLAND.
Five reptiles are known from this island. I have not seen specimens of
the _Bascanion_ and cannot judge of its distinctness.
=1. Callisaurus ventralis= (_Hallowell_).
_Callisaurus ventralis_ VAN DENBURGH, Proc. Cal. Acad.
Sci. 2d ser. v. 5, 1895, p. 98.
A female of this species, taken on Santa Margarita by Mr. Bryant,
March 5, 1889, is in the collection of the Academy.
=2. Sceloporus zosteromus= _Cope_.
_Sceloporus zosteromus_ VAN DENBURGH, Proc. Cal. Acad.
Sci. 2d ser. v. 5, 1895, p. 110; BOULENGER, Proc. Zool.
Soc. Lond. 1897, p. 499; MOCQUARD, Nouv. Arch. Mus.
sér. 4, 1899, p. 314; COPE, Report, U. S. Nat. Mus.
1898 (1900), p. 358.
Two examples were secured by Mr. Bryant on Santa Margarita, March 1,
1889.
=3. Cnemidophorus rubidus= _Cope_.
_Cnemidophorus tessellatus rubidus_ COPE, Trans.
Am. Philos. Soc. 1892, p. 36, pl. XII, fig. F;
COPE, Report, U. S. Nat. Mus. 1898 (1900), p. 584, fig.
110.
_Cnemidophorus rubidus_ VAN DENBURGH, Proc. Cal. Acad.
Sci. 2d ser. v. 5, 1895, p. 127.
Santa Margarita Island is the type locality of this species, which was
described from seven specimens brought back by the _Albatross_.
=4. Bascanion laterale fuliginosum= (_Cope_).
_Bascanion laterale_ COPE, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. v. 12,
1889, p. 147.
_Zamenis lateralis fuliginosus_ COPE, Am. Nat. v.
29, 1895, p. 679; COPE, Report, U. S. Nat. Mus. 1898
(1900), p. 809, fig. 178.
This snake was described from two specimens taken by the naturalists
of the _Albatross_. I have seen none.
=5. Crotalus mitchellii= _Cope_.
_Crotalus mitchellii_ VAN DENBURGH, Proc. Cal. Acad.
Sci. 2d ser. v. 5, 1895, p. 160; COPE, Report, U. S.
Nat. Mus. 1898 (1900), p. 1196.
A single rattlesnake of this species, taken by Mr. W. E. Bryant in
February, 1889, is the only record for this island.
SOCORRO ISLAND.
The following lizard is the only reptile known from this island.
=1. Uta auriculata= _Cope_.
_Uta auriculata_ COPE, Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist. v.
14, 1871, p. 303; BOULENGER, Cat. Liz. Brit. Mus. v. 2,
1885, p. 214; COPE, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. no. 32, 1887,
p. 35; TOWNSEND, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. v. 13, 1890, p.
143; COPE, Report, U. S. Nat. Mus. 1898 (1900), p. 300.
This _Uta_ was first described by Cope in 1871 from material
collected by Grayson. Townsend secured nine specimens which are now in
the National Museum. The California Academy of Sciences has seventeen,
taken by its expedition to the Revilla Gigedo Islands in 1903.
CLARION ISLAND.
Although smaller than Socorro and farther from the mainland, Clarion
Island is better supplied with reptiles than its larger neighbor,
since it possesses a snake as well as a _Uta_, while Socorro has only
a _Uta_.
=1. Uta clarionensis= _Townsend_.
_Uta clarionensis_ TOWNSEND, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. v.
13, 1890, p. 143; STEJNEGER, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. v.
23, 1901, p. 715.
This lizard was first collected by Mr. C. H. Townsend who described it
from five specimens. Mr. A. W. Anthony also secured it, in 1897, and
sent specimens to the National Museum. The Academy has three taken by
Mr. Beck.
=2. Bascanion anthonyi= _Stejneger_.
_Bascanion anthonyi_ STEJNEGER, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus.
v. 23, 1901, p. 715.
Dr. Stejneger described this snake from thirteen specimens sent to the
National Museum by Mr. Anthony. The Academy has eight examples of the
species. The scale-rows are seventeen in all these specimens, while
the gastrosteges vary from one hundred and eighty-seven to one hundred
and ninety-six and the urosteges from ninety-three to one hundred and
seven.
EXPLANATION OF PLATE II.
_Autodax lugubris farallonensis_ subsp. nov.
_Type_, Cal. Acad. Sci. no. 3731, South Farallon Island,
California, Charles Fuchs, February 8, 1899.
Fig. 1. General view, natural size.
Fig. 2. Head from above, × 2.
Fig. 3. Head from below, × 2.
Fig. 4. Head from side, × 2.
Fig. 5. Mouth, × 2½
Fig. 6. Hind limb, × 2.
Fig. 7. Fore limb, × 2.
[Illustration:
PROC. CAL. ACAD. SCI. 3^D. SER. ZOOL. VOL. IV.
[VAN DENBURGH] PLATE II.
MARY WELLMAN. DEL
PHOTO.-LITH. BRITTON & REY. S. F.
]
EXPLANATION OF PLATE III.
_Batrachoseps pacificus_ Cope.
Cal. Acad. Sci. no. 4601, San Miguel Island, California, R. H.
Beck, March 23, 1903.
Fig. 1. General view, natural size.
Fig. 2. Head and neck from above, × 3.
Fig. 3. Head and neck from below, × 3.
Fig. 4. Head and neck from side, × 3.
Fig. 5. Mouth, × 3½.
Fig. 6. Fore limb, × 3½.
Fig. 7. Hind limb, × 3½.
[Illustration:
PROC. CAL. ACAD. SCI. 3^{D}. SER. ZOOL. VOL. IV.
[VAN DENBURGH] PLATE III.
MARY WELLMAN. DEL
PHOTO.-LITH. BRITTON & REY. S. F.
]
EXPLANATION OF PLATE IV.
_Sceloporus becki_ sp. nov.
_Type_, Adult male, Cal. Acad. Sci. no. 4537, San Miguel Island,
California, R. H. Beck, March 26, 1903.
Fig. 1. General view, natural size.
Fig. 2. Head from below, × 2½.
Fig. 3. Head from above, × 2½.
Fig. 4. Head from side, × 2½.
[Illustration:
PROC. CAL. ACAD. SCI. 3^{D}. SER. ZOOL. VOL. IV.
[VAN DENBURGH] PLATE IV.
MARY WELLMAN. DEL
PHOTO.-LITH. BRITTON & REY. E. F.
]
EXPLANATION OF PLATE V.
_Xantusia riversiana_ Cope.
Fig. 1. Cal. Acad. Sci. no. 3571, San Clemente Island, California.
General view, × ⅔.
Fig. 2. Cal. Acad. Sci. no. 6613, San Nicolas Island, California,
Joseph Grinnell, May 22, 1897. Natural size.
[Illustration:
PROC. CAL. ACAD. SCI. 3^{D}. SER. ZOOL. VOL. IV.
[VAN DENBURGH] PLATE V.
PHOTO.-LITH. BRITTON & REY. S. F.
]
EXPLANATION OF PLATE VI.
_Uta martinensis_ sp. nov.
_Type_, Cal. Acad. Sci. no. 4698, San Martin Island, Lower
California, Mexico, R. H. Beck, May 3, 1903.
Fig. 1. General view, natural size.
Fig. 2. Head from above, × 2½.
Fig. 3. Head from side, × 2½.
Fig. 4. Scales of back, × 3.
Fig. 5. Hind limb, × 1¾.
[Illustration:
PROC. CAL. ACAD. SCI. 3^{D}. SER. ZOOL. VOL. IV.
[VAN DENBURGH] PLATE VI.
MARY WELLMAN. DEL
PHOTO.-LITH. BRITTON & REY. S. F.
]
EXPLANATION OF PLATE VII.
_Gerrhonotus scincicauda ignavus_ subsp. nov.
_Type_, Cal. Acad. Sci. no. 4699, San Martin Island, Lower
California, Mexico, R. H. Beck, May 3, 1903.
Fig. 1. Head from side, natural size.
Fig. 2. Base of tail from side, natural size.
_Gerrhonotus scincicauda_ (_Skilton_).
Cal. Acad. Sci. no. 3897, Santa Rosa Island, California, Gustav
Eisen, June 1897.
Fig. 3. Head from side, natural size.
Fig. 4. Base of tail from side, natural size.
[Illustration:
PROC. CAL. ACAD. SCI. 3^{D}. SER. ZOOL. VOL. IV.
[VAN DENBURGH] PLATE VII.
MARY WELLMAN. DEL
PHOTO.-LITH. BRITTON & REY. S. F.
]
EXPLANATION OF PLATE VIII.
_Uta stellata_ sp. nov.
_Type_, Adult male, Cal. Acad. Sci. no. 4704, San Benito Island,
Lower California, Mexico, R. H. Beck, May 6, 1903.
Fig. 1. General view, natural size.
Fig. 2. Head from side, × 3.
Fig. 3. Head from above, × 3.
Fig. 4. Scales of back, × 3.
Fig. 5. Scales of central part of back, much enlarged.
Fig. 6. Hind limb, × 1¾.
[Illustration:
PROC. CAL. ACAD. SCI. 3^{D}. SER. ZOOL. VOL. IV.
[VAN DENBURGH] PLATE VIII.
MARY WELLMAN. DEL
PHOTO.-LITH. BRITTON & REY. S. F.
]
PROCEEDINGS
OF THE
CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
THIRD SERIES
ZOOLOGY VOL. IV, NO. 2
_Issued December 2, 1905_
THE SPECIES OF THE REPTILIAN GENUS ANNIELLA,
WITH ESPECIAL REFERENCE TO ANNIELLA
TEXANA AND TO VARIATION IN
ANNIELLA NIGRA
BY JOHN VAN DENBURGH
_Curator of the Department of Herpetology_
The genus _Anniella_ was established by J. E. Gray[10], in 1852,
to contain a single species which he named _Anniella pulchra_ and
described in the following terms:
"Silvery (in spirits); upper part with very narrow brown zigzag lines
placed on the margin of the series of scales, the line down the center
of the back and two or three on the upper part of the sides being
thicker and nearly half the width of the scales.
_Hab._ California, _J. O. Goodridge, Esq., Surgeon R. N._"
This species has since been more completely described by Bocourt,[11]
Boulenger,[12] Cope,[13] and Van Denburgh.[14]
[Footnote 10: Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 2d ser. v. 10, 1852, p. 440.]
[Footnote 11: Miss. Sci. au Mex. Recherches zool. 3d pt. p. 460.]
[Footnote 12: Cat. Liz. Brit. Mus. v. 2, 1885, p. 299.]
[Footnote 13: Report, U. S. Nat. Mus. 1898 (1900), p. 674.]
[Footnote 14: Occas. Papers, Cal. Acad. Sci. 5, 1897, p. 116.]
In 1885 Fischer[15] described under the name _Anniella nigra_ a
specimen said to have been collected at San Diego, California.
This, he stated, differed from _Anniella pulchra_ in the following
characters:
1. Twenty-eight longitudinal rows of scales.
2. The three median preanal scales twice as long as those
preceding.
3. Tail one-third total length.
4. Color above black.
[Footnote 15: Abh. Nat. Verein Hamburg, v. 9, Hft. 1, 1885, p. 9.]
I have elsewhere[16] stated that the number of scale rows in _Anniella
pulchra_ varies from twenty-four to thirty-four. The preanal scales
in both the dark and light forms may be small, moderately enlarged,
or twice the length of those preceding. The tail of _A. pulchra_
may equal or exceed one-third of the total length of the animal. I
have been unable to discover any differences in the squamation of
dark and light specimens; and since the recognition of _A. nigra_ as
distinct from _A. pulchra_ must rest solely upon the difference in
pigmentation, one is tempted to inquire whether this is not merely an
instance of melanism. Upon this subject I shall have more to say, but
I wish first to consider certain peculiarities of squamation which
have been held to distinguish another species.
[Footnote 16: Occas. Papers, Cal. Acad. Sci. 5, 1897, pp. 116, 118.]
_Anniella texana_ was described by Mr. Boulenger,[17] in 1887, from
a single specimen labeled El Paso, Texas--a locality so far beyond
the limits of the known range of the genus and of other Californian
reptiles that it must be regarded with much suspicion until confirmed
by the capture of additional specimens. The type of _A. texana_
agrees in coloration with _Anniella pulchra_, but Mr. Boulenger finds
it to differ in certain details of squamation. He assigns to it the
following characters:
1. Head less depressed, snout more rounded than in _A. pulchra_.
2. A horizontal suture from nostril to second labial.
3. Frontal twice as broad as long.
4. Anterior supraocular nearly as broad as its distance from its
fellow.
5. Interparietal and occipital divided (anomalously?) by a
longitudinal suture.
6. Six upper labials, etc.
7. A narrow shield separates the third labial from the loreal.
8. Five lower labials.
9. Twenty-eight scales around middle of body.
10. No enlarged preanal scales.
11. Tail ending obtusely, three-eighths total length.
12. Dark gray above, with three fine black longitudinal lines;
sides and lower surfaces whitish.
[Footnote 17: Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 5th ser. v. 20, 1887, p. 50.]
I will now consider these characters in connection with variations
found in a series of specimens of _A. pulchra_ and _A. nigra_.
1. The shape of the head and snout is subject to some variation in
both _A. pulchra_ and _A. nigra_. Unless the difference in shape in
the type of _A. texana_ is very great, one is safe in ignoring it as a
basis of specific distinction.
2. One of my specimens of _A. nigra_ (Cal. Acad. Sci. No. 6255) shows
a horizontal suture extending from the nostril to the second labial.
Another (No. 6244) has such a suture between the nostril and the
rostral plate.
3. There is considerable variation in the shape and size of the
frontal plate in both _A. pulchra_ and _A. nigra_. It not infrequently
is twice as broad as long (No. 6236, etc.), but may be nearly as long
as broad. Sometimes it nearly touches the rostral (No. 5103).
4. The anterior supraocular is nearly as broad as the distance which
separates it from its fellow in some specimens of _A. pulchra_ (No.
5110) and _A. nigra_ (Nos. 6233, 6243, 6249, etc.). In some specimens
it has scarcely more than half this breadth.
5. I regard the plates which Mr. Boulenger calls interparietal and
occipital as frontoparietal and interparietal, respectively. The
former plate is not completely divided in any of my specimens. One
example of _A. pulchra_ (No. 5110), however, has it longitudinally
divided throughout the posterior third of its length. The
interparietal (occipital of Mr. Boulenger) is completely divided
longitudinally in one example of _A. nigra_ (No. 6228) and divided
through one-fifth its length in another (No. 6218).
6. This is the normal arrangement, but is subject to variation.
7. This shield may be absent.
8. The number of lower labials ranges from five to seven.
9. The number of scales around the middle of the body varies in _A.
pulchra_ from twenty-four to thirty-four, while in 54 specimens of _A.
nigra_ the number is twenty-eight in 12, thirty in 36, and thirty-two
in 6.
10. The preanal scales, as already stated, may be not enlarged,
moderately enlarged, or twice as long as those preceding them. This is
true in both _A. pulchra_ and _A. nigra_.
11. The length of the tail is subject to so much variation that it
cannot be regarded as furnishing a good specific character. The
longest ones I have seen are one-third the total length in _A. nigra_
and two-fifths in _A. pulchra_.
12. This is the coloration of some specimens of _A. pulchra_.
It will be seen that, with one exception, all of the characters of
_Anniella texana_ have been found in specimens of _A. pulchra_ and _A.
nigra_ either as the normal condition or as individual variations.
The single exception is the complete division of the frontoparietal
plate--a condition which is manifestly anomalous, since this plate
has been found partially divided in other specimens. It is evident
therefore that _Anniella texana_ must stand as a synonym of _A.
pulchra_ Gray.
_Anniella texana_ being thus disposed of, one is tempted to treat _A.
nigra_ in the same way, regarding it as based merely upon melanistic
individuals of _A. pulchra_. This view we certainly should have to
adopt if both dark and light colored specimens occurred in the same
localities, but I believe this has not yet been shown to be the case.
Fischer, to be sure, states that the type of _A. nigra_ came from San
Diego, where _A. pulchra_ is especially abundant, but it is quite
possible that his specimen did not really originate there. All of the
dark specimens I have seen, have been secured on the coast of Monterey
County; and, aside from Fischer's, I know of no records of the black
_Anniella_ from any other locality, except Cope's[18] reference to
specimens from San Francisco. Aside from the type locality, then, it
would seem that the dark form has a very limited range, being confined
to the southern part of the Pacific Fauna of the Transition Zone.
[Footnote 18: Report, U. S. Nat. Mus. 1898 (1900), p. 675.]