The Horned Lizards 



Colouration. — Brownish gray. A dark patch on each side 

 of the neck, and three irregular cross-bands on the back. Ab- 

 domen cream colour, with dusky spots. 



Dimensions. — Total Length 4^ inches. 



Length of Head and Body 3/^ " 



Distribution. — The type specimen was taken on Cerros 

 Island, off the west coast of Lower California at about the mid- 

 dle of the peninsula. The species has not been found elsewhere. 



THE PACIFIC HORNED LIZARD; CALIFORNIA HORNED 



LIZARD 



Phrynosoma coronatum, (Blainville) 



The Pacific Horned Lizard is narrower of body than other 

 species and the proportionately longer tail accentuates this 

 character. The large and numerous spiny scales of the back 

 and tail, impart by much the most bristling appearance of 

 any of the North American species. There are two large, cen- 

 tral head spines, and three successively larger spines on each 

 temple. All of the horns are flat. There are from three to 

 four rows of enlarged scales on each side of the central line of 

 the chin. On each side of the body are two rows of fringe-like 

 spiny scales, the upper series the larger. The scales of the breast 

 and abdomen are smooth. 



Some specimens have one, some two rows of spiny mar- 

 ginal scales on the tail. Upon this variation was based a species 

 known technically as Phrynosoma blainvillci, (Gray). As other 

 distinctive characters are lacking and as specimens of this alleged 

 species show the same peculiar body outlines of this very dis- 

 tinct 'Western lizard, we must place the name in the category 

 of a synonym, under the head of the present species. 



Colouration. — Pale grayish or brown above, with a large, 

 reddish-brown patch on each side of the nape; three, transverse 

 bands of similar colour on the back, often bordered in the rear 

 with white or yellow spots. Abdomen yellow, with dusky gray 

 patches. Many examples have horns of a decidedly pinkish 

 tinge. 



Dimensions. — The measurements given are of an adult 

 specimen from San Diego County, California: 



152 



