The Horned Lizards 



altogether drop this misleading title and call these creatures 

 the horned lizards, as they literally are. Among the batra- 

 chians there are actually a number of species of horned toads 

 true horned toads. The South American genus Ceratophrys 

 furnishes startling examples in size and grotesque development. 

 Thus we can understand why the name "horned toads," if ap- 

 plied to the present genus of lizards, might be very misleading 

 to a general naturalist. 



A descriptive list of the Horned Lizards follows: 



DOUGLASS'S HORNED LIZARD 



Phrynosoma douglassii, (Bell) 



Of the first group comprising the greater portion of this 

 genus the members possessing an exposed ear drum Douglass's 

 Horned Lizard exhibits the most rudimentary horns. Three 

 phases of this species may be recognised. With the typical 

 form and one of the varieties, the horns are reduced to mere 

 tubercles. The third phase has very short horns shorter than 

 the horizontal diameter of the eye. The limbs are proportion- 

 ately shorter than of the other horned lizards. 



As the accompanying illustrations very clearly delineate 

 the various characters of the three phases, elaborate details 

 would be superfluous. 



These points distinguish the three varieties; all of which 

 have smooth abdominal scales, and small, equal-sized scales 

 upon the chin: 



Size small, limbs short. Horns reduced to tubercles. 



Snout very blunt. 



DOUGLASS'S HORNED LIZARD, P. douglassii, typical, Bell. 

 Length o} adult. 4! inches. 



Distribution. The northern and Pacific district 



including the slopes of the Sierra Nevada Range. 



Size moderate. Horns more developed, although of 



tubercular form. Pattern vivid. Snout more pointed. 



ORNATE HORNED LIZARD, P. douglassii, variety ornatissi- 



[mum, Girard. 

 Length of adult. 5! inches. 



Distribution. Desert regions and dry plateaus east 

 of the Si .-IT. i Neva 'i Range, from Canada to 

 Mexico. 



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