232 BULLETIN 15 4, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



espiritensis is very close to the typical C. hyperythrus hyperythrus 

 was observed by Van Denburgh (1922, p. 568), who remarked that 

 '•' The single dorsal line and three supraoculars cause this species to 

 resemble most of the other island Verticarias. The coloration of 

 this line, the orange suffusion of the throat, and the large scales at 

 the edge of the collar,-''' show its relationship to V. livperytlira 

 hyperythra. It lacks the red coloration of V. sericea and V. caerulea, 

 rarely having a little rufous laterally, as in V. franciscensis.''^ 



In the original description of V. franciscensis it was said that the 

 supraoculars are normally 3. Examination of the 17 available topo- 

 types reveals only two exceptions. One specimen has 4 supraoculars 

 on both sides; and another, the type, has 3 on one side and 4 on the 

 other. A higher percentage in the frequency of occurrence of three 

 supraoculars in the island specimens is not in itself diagnostic because 

 this is such a common feature in the mainland examples as well. 

 This same general statement may be made in regard to the dis- 

 tinction, " Second supraocular usually in contact with frontal." 

 Moreover, both from the standpoint of their geographical location 

 and from that of their coloration, these specimens stand as inter- 

 mediates between C. hypeinjthr-us hyperythrus and G. hy perythiMS 

 danhehnae. They are, however, very close to the former, and this 

 5-onception may be gained from a careful study of the statements made 

 by Van Denburgh (1922, p. 570), namely, that " This lizard is most 

 closely related to F. seHcea -^ of San Jose Island. It differs from that 

 species in the almost complete absence of red on the sides of the body, 

 and in the frequent posterior forking of the dorsal line." 



Diagnosis. — The lateral stripes of this form are found to be four 

 in number and are ahvays distinct, the size is always small, the 

 frontoparietal plate is normally entire, and the general appearance 

 of the body suggests weakness, rather than strength. Hyperythrus 

 may often be distinguished from danlieiinae and caerideus by the 

 presence of more than one dorsal stripe, and apparently always by 

 the lesser intensity and usually lesser width of the dorsal stripe or 

 stripes as compared to the lateral stripes. There is an emphasis 

 upon brownish, blackish, or grayish in the general coloration, rather 

 than upon reddish as in the subspecies, danheinme and caeridcus. 

 The ground color of the back is not abruptly darker than that of 

 the sides (this is unlike the condition found in danheimae), and the 

 appearance of from one to three more or less distinct, dorsal stripes 

 readily separates it from pictus^ which usually has no stripes at all. 



=« It is interesting to note that Van Denburgh in an earlier paper (1895) showed this 

 character to be unreliable in separating Y. lelcUngi from V. hyperythra. 



^This statement tends to obscure the true relationship with hyperythrus. San Fran- 

 cisco is a small island lying between the mainland and San Jose Island, the home of 

 danJicimae (= "F. sericea). It will be noted that the differences pointed out by Van 

 Denburgh are all from sericea and not from hyperythrus. 



