CHAPTER XXI: THE STRIPED LIZARDS OR 

 "RACE RUNNERS" 



Family Teiid/E — Genus Cnemidophorus 



The Teiidce is a fair-sized family of lizards and its members 

 are confined to the New World. The majority occur in Central 

 America, South America and the West Indies. Some attain 

 a large size. The family is most nearly allied to the Old World 

 Lacertidce. Species of but one genus are found in North America. 



The Genus Cnemidophorus. — The Striped Lizards or "Race 

 Runners." Collectively, these lizards may be readily recognised. 

 They are slender and graceful in build, with strong limbs, long 

 and gradually tapering tail, and rather pointed head. The 

 upper portion of the head is covered with large, symmetrical 

 shields; the scalation of the upper part of the body is very fine 

 and granular; beneath, the body is plated, in alligator-like 

 fashion; the tail is covered with rings of coarse scales. Strongly 

 forked at the tip, blackish and snake-like, the tongue is a use- 

 ful organ and frequently employed in examining the ground over 

 which the creature walks. 



It is by the colouration that the species generally may be 

 readily recognised. The ground-colour is olive or brown; ex- 

 tending from the back of the head to the base of the tail are nar- 

 row, but sharply defined yellow stripes, from four to six in num- 

 ber — on young examples. 



With maturity, some of the species lose the stripes and 

 become spotted or cross-banded. 



The Striped Lizards are among the most familiar reptiles 

 of the southern United States and northern Mexico. An abun- 

 dant species occurs in the East; the Southwest is rich in species. 

 These lizards are strictly terrestrial. They frequent dry and 

 open places exposed to an all-day glare of the sun. Here they 

 literally skim over the ground when startled. So great is their 

 activity in running that the human eye is unable to follow the 

 progress of the smaller individuals beyond tracing a blurred 



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