570 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1898. 



The large nuuiber of specimens of C. tessellatus and G. gularis in the 

 U. S. JS^ational Museum collection show that the breaking up of the 

 striped coloration appears first at the posterior part of the dorsal i egion 

 (that is, the sacral and lumbar). The confluence of the spots appears 

 there first; and finally {C.gularis semi/asciatus), where the color mark- 

 ings disappear, leaving a uniform hue, this also api)ears first at the 

 posterior i)art of the body. In the C. tessellatus ruMdus the dark spots 

 disappear first on the anterior regions. 



The species of Cnemidophorus inhabit dry open ground where they 

 can observe their insect prey and watch their enemies. From the lat- 

 ter they escape by the extreme rapidity of their movements, which 

 renders it difiicult to follow them with the eye, to which they appear as 

 a streak flying over the ground. For this reason they are popularly 

 known as " swifts." They are nevertheless frequently caught and eaten 

 by snakes. 



Of the species enumerated in the synopsis above given, eight are 

 not found in the Nearctic realm. Thus €. guttatiis and C. dcppei are 

 restricted to the Central American district, and C. cspeutii to certain 

 islands of the eastern coast of Central America. C. murinus and G. 

 nigricolor belong to the northern parts of South America, and G. ocelli- 

 fer, G. Incertoides, and G. lonfjicauda to the southern parts of that conti- 

 nent. G. leumiscatuH inhabits tropical South America east of the Andes. 



CNEMIDOPHORUS MAXIMUS Cope. 



Cnemidophorus maximiis Cope, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1863, p. 104 ; Trans. 

 Amer. Phil. Soc, 1892, pp. 28-32. 



Mg. 104. 

 Cnemidophorus maximus Copk. 



Lower California. 



Cat. No. IMtiS, U.S.N.M. 



