CROCODILIANS, LIZARDS, AND SNAKES. 261 



northwest slope of Moimt iMagrnder (below Pigeon Spring) as high as 1,980 meters 

 (6,500 feet). It was seen at the same elevation in Tule Canyon, but does not reach the 

 Mount Magruder plateau (altitude about 2,450 meters, or 8,000 feet). Coming up 

 through Grapevine Canyon from the northwest arm of Death A'ailey it spreads over 

 Sarcobatus Flat, and asceuds the south slope of Gold Mountain a little higher than the 

 creosote bush (Larrca), which stops at about 1,640 meters (or .5,400 feet) on the most 

 favorable southwest exposures. It is common in Oasis Valley (coining in from botli 

 Sarcobatus Flat and the Amargosa Desert), and doubtless ranges over most of the 

 Ralston Desert. It was found on the Desert, Timpahute, and Pahranagat mountains, 

 as well as the intervening deserts, and on Pahroc Plain, aud thence easterly across 

 Meadow Creek Valley and the Juniper Mountain plateau (along the boundary between 

 Nevada and Utah) to the Escalaute Desert in Utah, and thence southerly through 

 the sage brush to Mountain Meadows and the Santa Clara Valley. It was common 

 on the Argus and Pananiiut mountains, and on the latter was taken as high as 1,610 

 meters (5,300 feet) near wild Rose Spring, and may range higher. 



Croiaphytus wisUzenii, in company with two other Great Basin lizards (Ciiemido- 

 2)liorus tigris aud Ula stanshuriana), two desert birds {Harporhynclms lecontei and 

 CampylorhyuchHS hrinnieicapilJiif<), the antelope or white-tailed squirrel {Spermophi- 

 liis leucurus), aud a number of desert plants (among which may be mentioned the 

 tree yucca, Yucca arhorescens, Tetradymia spinosa, T. comosa, Lyciiim andersoni, L. 

 cooperi, Hyinenoclea salsola, JJriogonitm fasciculatum, and Ephedra nevadensis) passes 

 over the low summit of Walker Pass (altitude 1,550 meters, or 5,100 feet), and 

 descends westerly to Kern Valley on the west slope of the Sierra. From Kern Val- 

 ley Croiaphytus wislisenii ranges southward to Havilah, if not to Walker Basin. 



The leopard lizard is cliiefly a vegetarian, feeding on the blossoms and leaves of 

 plants ; but is also carnivorous, devouring the smaller lizards, horned toads, and even 

 its own kind, besides large numbers of insects, as determined by the examination of 

 many stomachs. In the Argus Range Dr. Fisher surprised <me in the act of swal- 

 lowing a scaly lizard (,SceIoporus) two-thirds its own size. 



In many lizards, as well known, the male assumes a special coloration during the 

 breeding season. The present species is a notable exception, the male remaining 

 the same, while the female undergoes a remarkable change. The whole under sur- 

 face aud sides of the tail become deep salmon or even salmon red, and the sides of the 

 body assume the same color, either uniformly or in blotches. The red markings on 

 the sides usually begin as spots, which soon unite to form transverse stripes. The 

 central part of the back is not affected by the change, aud the dark markings on the 

 sides remain distinct. None were seen in this condition until May 20, when the first 

 red one was found on Pahroc Plain, Nevada, but dozens were seen afterwards in 

 Pahranagat Valley, Indian Spring Valley, the Amargosa Desert, Tule Canyon, and 

 numerous other localities. The change does not take place till late in tlie develop- 

 ment of the egg. Many pairs were observed in copulation in Diamond and the Upper 

 Santa Clara valleys, ITtah, and thence northward to Mountain Meadows and the 

 Escalante Desert, and westerly across the Juniper Mountains to Meadow Creek Val- 

 ley from May 17 to 19, but no trace of the red coloration had appeared. The red 

 individuals were always found to contain large eggs, generally measuring from 12 

 to 15 mm. in length, with the coriaceous shell already formed. 



SAUROMALUS Dumeril. 



Sauromahis Dttmkril, Arch, du Mus., VIII,"1856, p. 535. — Bocourt, Miss. So. Mex., 

 Rept., 1874, p. 149.— COPK, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1864, p. 177.— Bou- 

 LENGEK, Cat. Liz. Brit. Mus., II, 1885, p. 202. 



E upliry ne Bajru, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1858, p. 253. 



A giilar fold aud one along side of body. Sides of ueek much 

 wrinkled. Femoral pores. Scales everywhere small but lozeuge-sbaped 



