PLESTIODON ERYTHROCEPHALUS. jjg 



Colour. The head above is bright red. The body and tail above are ohve- 

 brown, a httle darker on the sides. The throat and abdomen are yellowish-white. 



Dimensions. Length of head, 1 inch 2 lines; greatest breadth of head, 1 inch; 

 length of neck and body, 3 inches 2 lines; length of tail, 7 inches: total length, 11 

 inches 3 lines. I have measured specimens 13 inches in length. 



Habits. The Plestiodon erythrocephalus chooses his residence in deep forests, 

 and is commonly found about hollow trees, often at a height of thirty or forty 

 feet from the ground; sometimes taking up his abode in the last year's nest of 

 the woodpecker, out of which he thrusts his bright red head in a threatening 

 manner to those who would disturb his home. He never makes his habitation 

 on or near the ground, and in fact seldom descends from his elevation unless in 

 search of food or water. Though shy and timid, he is very fierce when taken, 

 and bites severely, owing to the great strength of his jaws, as well as the size 

 and firmness of the teeth. The bite, however, though sharp and painful, is not, 

 as is commonly supposed, venomous. 



Geographical Distribution. This animal is found from latitude 39° to the 

 Gulf of Mexico in the Atlantic states, as well as in Mississippi and Louisiana. 



General Remarks. This animal was certainly first described by Gilliams. 

 Lawson, in his Histoiy of Carolina, speaks of a Lizard called the Scorpion, but he 

 does not mention the red head, which is a distinctive character of this; and 

 Pennant, in the Supplement to his Arctic Zoology, has only quoted Lawson. 



Temminck and Schlegel,* after the examination of several specimens furnished 

 them by Troost, consider this animal identical Avith the Scincus quinquelineatus, 

 differing in appearance only from age or sex — when a single glance at its com- 

 pressed snout and broad head at the temporal region, its numerous and strong 



* Siebold, Faun. Japon. Reptilia, by Temminck and Schlegel, p. 99. 



