TEIID LIZARDS OF THE GENUS CXEMIDOPHOUUS 95 



Worldiiii' ill (he Olcetiiiokce Swamp region of iiortlu'rn (Joorgia, 

 )\'rigiit and Fuiilvliouser (11)15) loiiiicl that e<2:<2:s had been deposited 

 between the furrows in a plowi-d field. Usually four or five eg<;s 

 were too:ether in holes from 4 to 12 inches deep. The eggs were 

 about 10 mill, in length by 10 mm. in widtli, ellipsoidal, compara- 

 tively soft, semitranslucent, and almost salmon colored. They were 

 neither smooth nor shining, but slightly rough and subpubescent. 



'• Little data were secured on the life history or the breeding 

 habits, but from the fact that the eggs were secured in June, and 

 also from tlie fact that several of the specimens taken showed the 

 blue abdomen characteristic of the Ijreeding male,^* it is evident 

 tliat this month represents at least a part of the breeding and egg- 

 laying season. Since, moreover, the reptilian developmental period 

 is comparatively long, the bulk of ovulations must have been prac- 

 tically over, or some of the females taken would have been found 

 with eggs, which was not the case." 



Enemies. — The enemies of sexlineatus are little known. Pritchett 

 (1903, p. 284) placed a specimen of this species in a cage containing 

 the collared lizard, C rotaphi/tus coUark. Subsequent to this time the 

 Cnemidophonis specimen disappeared, and it was concluded that 

 the smaller lizard was devoured. Since the collared lizard is known 

 to prey upon the desert whiptail, Cnemidophoms tessellatus tessel- 

 lafus, this does not seem unlikely. 



Specimens of the 6-lined race runner Avere found in the stomachs 

 of two black snakes, Coluher constrictor constrictor, according to 

 Wright and Funkhouser (1915, p. 130). 



Affinities. — This form is mo.st closely related to its subspecies, 

 (/idwis and perptexus, and it is found to intergrade with them along 

 common boundaries as discussed above. 



Two opposed views may be advanced to explain the origin of 

 the modern sexlineatus. The first would hold that it is the most 

 primitive form in the whole genus, as suggested by Gadow (1906) 

 and superficially supported by the theses of Matthew (1915,1910).^^ 

 In this case, gularis and perpleocus^ which are nearer the present 

 center of distribution of the genus than sexlinrafux, miglit logically 

 be considered as its derivatives. The second theory would hold that 



"Colors are deeper during the matins season, but the natural variation in respect to llio 

 ventral coloration is sreat, as sliown elsewhere, so the finding of some brilliantly colored 

 specimens here in .June, or even later in the year, does not seem unusual. Perliaps con- 

 •siderable time elapses between the breeding and egg-laying seasons (or dates). Also, it 

 may be remarl<ed that the period of incubation is not Ivnown. 



^^ Tlie following should not be regarded as a criticism of the general thesrs of Matthew 

 (northern origin of southern forms) as based on fossil evidence, but it may be regarded as 

 an expression of the tlieory that various modern species of the north may have but 

 secondarily invaded this region — often becoming specialized in doing so — and thereby 

 these may tend to show conclusive evidence of u southern center of oriijin as is the case 

 here. 



