REPTILES OF THE PACIFIC COAST. 123 



eyes are without lids. The head is covered with large 

 shields. The upper surface of the body is granular or 

 tubercular, but the lower is provided with plates. The 

 tongue is broad, plicate, with tip indistinctly notched. 

 The ear-opening is large. Femoral pores are present. 



Genus 17. XANTUSIA. 



Xantusia, Baird, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1858, p. 255 (type 

 vigilis); Zablepsis, Cope, Am. Nat., XXIX, 1895, p. 758 (type 

 henshawi); Aminhopsis, Cope, 1. c, p. 758 (type gilberti). 



The dorsal granules are uniform. Superciliary and 

 sometimes supraocular plates are present. The inter- 

 parietal is separated from the frontal by the fronto- 

 parietal plates. The pupil is vertically elliptic. There 

 are two or three transverse gular folds, the last edged 

 with enlarged plates. 



SYNOPSIS OF SPECIES. 



a. — One series of small plates (superciliaries) over eye. 



b. — Ventral plates in twelve longitudinal series; yellow or brown with 



dark spots on single granules X. vigilis. — p. 123. 



b'^. — Ventral plates in fourteen longitudinal series; irregularly marbled 

 with yellow lines enclosing large dark brown spots. 



X. henshawi. — p. 128. 

 a^. — Two series of small plates (superciliaries and supraoculars) over eye; 

 ventral jilates in sixteen longitudinal series. X. riversiana. — p. 130. 



35 — Xantusia vigilis Baird. Desert Night Lizard. 



Xantusia vigilin, Baird, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1858, p. 255 (type 

 locality Fort Tejon, California); Stejneger, N. A. Fauna, 

 No. 7, 189,3, p. 198, pi. Ill, figs, la-lc. 



Description. — Body nearly cylindrical, with very short 

 limbs. Upper surface of head flattened, curving to- 

 wards snout. Three folds on throat, anterior connect- 

 ing ears and encircling head. Nostril opening at junc- 

 tion of rostral, internasal, postnasal, and first labial 

 plates. Rostral in contact with first labial and inter- 

 nasal plates. Two internasals followed by a large 



