Vol. XVII, PP. 17-20 February 5, I9C4 



PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 





A NEW LIZARD FROM THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY, 



TEXAS. 



BY LEOXHARD STEJNEGER. 



[By permission of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution.] 



During tlie various collecting trips made by the tield natur- 

 alists of the Biological Survey into western Texas, a series of 

 lizards belonging to the genus i^celoporus were collected, which 

 clearly beloitg to an undescribed species. It forms part of the 

 small section of the genus characterized by the minuteness of 

 the lateral scales, of which, thus far, only two species have been 

 taken within the United States, viz., a*?. lUfri a hi lis and S. coucJiii. 

 I wish to associate with this very distinct species the name of 

 the originator and chief of the Biological Survey, who has done 

 such an immense woik in increasing our knowledge of oar 

 vertebrate fauna. 



Sceloporus merriami sp. nov. 



Diagnosis. — Lateral scales minute, granular; 55 to 56 femoral pores in 

 a continuous series across the preanal re^non; 56 to GG scales between the 

 shielded part of the head and the base of the tail; 14 to IS dorsal scales 

 corresponding to the shielded part of the head; head shields smooth. 



Habitat. — Rio Grande Valley, western Texas. 



Type.— United States National Museum, No. 33,039; East Painted Cave, 

 2— PBGC. BiOL. Soc. Wash. Vol. XVII. 1904. (17) 



