22 University of Michigan 



the pale vertical line in front of the shoulder, the edge of the 

 lateral neck fold and the area partially covered by the fold are 

 bright orange. The ventral blue spots characteristic of the 

 male are usually absent but occasionally present in the females. 



Sceloporus graciosus is the most common and widely dis- 

 tributed lizard in the region. We found it in Maggie Basin 

 from the grass and Chrysothmiinus zones along the streams to 

 an altitude of about 7.500 feet in the Cortez Range. It was also 

 observed in the Pinyon Range and will undoubtedly be found to 

 occur in the Seetoya and River Ranges. Although of quite gen- 

 eral distribution in the region, S. graciosus was not equally com- 

 mon everywhere. It was very abundant on the low flat and 

 first hillside north of Carlin, and quite common along the sides 

 of the valleys of the Susan, Maggie, Annie, and lower part of 

 James Creek, on the basin floor. Only occasional specimens 

 were found on the higher ridges in Maggie Basin and in the 

 Cortez Range. It was not observed among the rocks except 

 very rarely and then only where there was considerable soil. 



This distribution, which is very similar to the distribution 

 in Humboldt County described by Taylor'', may be explained 

 by the fact that the species is in this region pre-eminently a 

 ground form (see below), and prefers a fine soil. In Maggie 

 Basin it is much more a plains form than a mountain species, 

 for it is by far the most abundant on the finest soil which is 

 found along the sides of the valleys on the basin floor. 



One generally finds this lizard on the ground beneath the 

 sage and other bushes and in this situation the coloration is 

 protective (PI. V, Fig. i). It climbs about among the branches 

 of the bushes to some extent, but when alarmed generally runs 

 to the ground to seek safety under dead brush or in a conveni- 

 ent burrow. At night it buries itself in the loose soil. The food 



"Loc. cit., 349. 



