150 REPTILES OF THE WORLD 



If the species of Horned Lizards are collectively ex- 

 amined they impart a weird impression. The student 

 is reminded, as he examines the varied structure of their 

 heads, of certain Indians who wear all manner of freak- 

 ish masks in their dances and ceremonies. When one 

 species after another has been examined, it will be seen 

 there is considerable difference in the arrangements of 

 the scales on the chin; this character, together with the 

 head spines, helps greatly in identification. While the 

 title, Horned Lizards, is a very good one for the group, 

 the writer must acknowledge that not all of the species 

 have well-developed horns ; a few have no traces of horns. 



Over all portions of the southwestern United States, 

 the Horned Lizards abound. They are especially par- 

 tial to dry sterile areas, and quite at home throughout 

 the vast wastes of the Colorado Desert. Here these 

 little gnomes of the sand dart about on their short legs 

 at a bewildering speed, in search of insect prey. Dur- 

 ing the hours of burning sunlight, when the whole 

 atmosphere is a-quiver with radiating heat waves, they 

 are at their best ; as the sun begins to cast long shadows 

 they squirm their way into the sand and are completely 

 buried before night brings the peculiar chill that settles 

 over desert areas. 



Following is a resume of the Horned Lizards: — 



Hornless Species A 

 Douglass's Horned Lizard,2 Phrynosoma doug- 



lassii. Pacific District, U. S. 



Ditmars' Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma dit- 



marsi. Northern Mexico. 



Species and varieties with very short horns. 

 Hernandez's Horned Lizard,2 P. dotiglassii, va- Great Plains; Rocky 



riety hernandezi. Mtn. Dist. 

 Red Horned Lizard,2 p. orbiculare. Mexico. 



"^In compiling this popular list, the arrangement of species according to 

 technical classification is necessarily abandoned. 

 2 Common species. 



