306 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1898. 



largo, strongly kcelod and spinous caudal scales of Ula mearnsi, together with the 

 absence of the two posterior dorsal hlack hands so characteristic of U. thalassina.' 



Geographical distribution. — Dr. Mearns found this species "extremely plentiful" 

 among the rocks on the eastern slope of the Coast Range of California, near the Mexi- 

 can boundary line, from the lowest water in the canyon at the base to the summit. So 

 far this is the only locality where it is known to have been taken. I would suggest, 

 however, that it was most probably this species which Mr. Lockington has recorded 

 from Ensenada, Todos Santos Bay, LoAver California, 75 miles southeast of San 

 Diego' as Uta ihalasstna. 



List of specimens. 



U.S. 



N.M. 



No. 



21882 

 21883 

 218H4 

 21885 

 2i8F6 

 21887 

 21888 



Sex. 



Female . 

 Female . 

 Female . 

 Female . 

 Male.... 

 Male — 

 Female . 



Locality: Coast Range, California, 

 near the Mexican boundary. 



Summit of range 



Mountain Spring, eastern slope 



ICastern base 



Eastern base 



.Mountain Spring, eastern slope 

 Mountain Spring, eastern slope 

 Lowest water, eastern base 



Body and 

 head. 



Tail. 



150 



(■) 

 (') 

 1' 



(') 

 (') 

 (") 



Femoral 

 pores. 



20 

 22 

 20 

 21-22 

 2-^-25 

 21-24 

 19-20 



Supra- 

 labials. 



6 

 .5-6 

 5 

 5 

 5-6 

 6 

 6 



' Tail reproduced. 



In describing this species Dr. Stejueger remarks: 



The accidental nature of reptile collecting is well illustrated by the discovery of 

 this very con.spiciious and distinct species in a region which has been visited before 

 by some of our best collectors. 



The trenchant character of the distinctions between the present species and its 

 nearest ally inhabiting the Cape St. Lucas region emphasizes the gap between the 

 Cape region proper and the rest of the Lower California peninsula. 



This discovery, moreover, is quite imjiortant, inasmuch as it bridges over the 

 supposed difference between Vta thalassina and the other species of the genus Uta. 

 Boulenger, in 1885, established the genus Petrosanrits for that species because of its 

 small caudal scales, the smoothness of the dorsal granules, and the absence of den- 

 ticulation on the border of the i>osterior gular fold. The present species, however, 

 has the caudal scales large, keeled, and spinose, in fact, exactly as in the typical 

 species of the genus Uta; the dorsal scales are larger, more convex, nearly tuber- 

 cular on the sides, thus approaching the other Utas, while the question of denticu- 

 lation to the collar is one essentially of degree only. However, the species which I 

 am dedicating to its discoverer. Dr. E. A. Mearns, U. S. A., naturalist of the Inter- 

 national Boundary Commission (United States and Mexico), is undoubtedly nearly 

 related to U. thalassina and more so than to any of the other species of the genus. 



UTA STANSBURIANA B^ird and Girard. 



Uta atansburiana Baird and Girard, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., VI, April, 

 1852, p. 69, Salt Lake Valley; Stansbury, Exp. Gr. Salt Lake, 1852, p. 345; 

 Reptiles, pi. v, figs. 4-6. — Boulengkr, Cat. Liz. Brit. Mus., 2d ed., II, 1885, 

 p. 211.— A^AN De.vburgh, Proc. Cal. A:ad. Sci., V, 1895, p. 104. 



Uta elegans Yarrow, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., V, 1882, p. 442; Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 

 No. 24, 1883, p. 55.— Boulenger, Cat. Liz. Brit. Mus., II, 1885, 2d ed., p. 211. 



Uta schottii Yarrow, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 24, 1883, p. 55, in part. 



Scales on tbe back very small and only obsoletely carinated, dimin- 

 ishing very regularly in size to the sides, without any conspicuously 

 large scales anywhere. Head short, broad, depressed. Tail one and 

 one-half times, hind feet one-third, the head and body. 

 ' American Naturalist, 1880, p. 295. 



