5auroma/us and Crot&phytus 



in colour, being dull brown, olive or black above; abdomen 

 rusty red, dotted with black. 



The young are usually olive, marbled or spotted with black 

 on the back; some are banded with reddish, this intermixed 

 with yellow dots. The pattern is more pronounced on the tail. 



Dimensions. The measurements given are from a specimen 

 taken a few miles south of Phoenix, Arizona: 



Total Length 12 inches. 



Length of Fail 5 



Width of Body 3 



Width of Tail, at base i 



Width of Head \* 



Distribution. Desert regions of the southwestern United 

 States southern Nevada and Utah, Arizona, eastern California, 

 Lower California, and northern Sonora, Mexico. 



Habits. Little is known about the habits of the Chuck- 

 awalla or "Chuck-walla." It inhabits rocky places in the deserts. 



The single living specimen in the writer's collection lived 

 but a few months. When sleeping it was dark brown, but as 

 the sun shone upon the sand of its cage and it became more 

 active the body hue grew much lighter almost yellow. This 

 lizard had a very poor appetite. It occasionally nibbled at 

 tender leaves of lettuce and celery. Dissection of the stomachs 

 of preserved specimens shows the Chuckawalla to be quite her- 

 bivorous. 



The Genus Crotapbytus: The three species are confined 

 to the southern United States and northern Mexico; they are 

 of moderate size. 



Body stout, head large; tail very long, cylindrical and slen- 

 der. Above and beneath, the scales are fine and granular. Top 

 of the head covered with small, granular scales larger than 

 those of the body; scalation of the tail in narrow rings. Ear 

 drum large; a fold of skin on the throat. 



Key to the Species 



I. Head very large; body short and stout. 



Pale, with numerous white or yellow dots; a double 

 black collar on neck. 



COLLARED LIZARD, Crotapbytus colldris. 

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