68 



HELLER 



MEASUREMENTS OF Pkyllodactyhts leei. 



(From Wreck Bay, Chatham Island. ) 



Genus Tropidurus Wied. 



Tropidurus Abbild. WIED, Naturgesch. Bras., pi. 1824?; Beitrage Natur- 

 gesch. Bras., I, p. 137, 1825. 



Range. Neotropical. Galapagos Archipelago (six peculiar 

 species). 



Occurs abundantly on most of the islands and islets of the archi- 

 pelago ; lacking only on Culpepper, Wenman and Tower. Appar- 

 ently nearly extinct on Charles. On all the other islands it is the 

 commonest reptile. Most abundant along the coast and in the dryer 

 parts of the islands, nearly or quite disappearing in the damp and 

 heavily wooded portions and in the higher altitudes at 2,000 feet and 

 above. 



The Galapagos hawk, Buteo, is the chief native enemy of Tropi- 

 durus. The owls, Strix and Asio, may occasionally feed upon them. 

 The range of Buteo coincides almost perfectly with that of Tropi- 

 durus, lacking only on Charles Island where Tropidurus is very rare. 



May and June are the breeding months. The eggs are four to six 

 in number, white and elliptical. Many of the females were seen at 

 various islands in May and June digging short oblique tunnels in the 

 sand presumably for the reception of the eggs. 



KEY TO GALAPAGOS SPECIES AND SUBSPECIES OF Tropidurus. 



A t Ninety scales or less in a transverse series around middle of body. 

 B x Sides of neck granular and much folded between ear opening 



and anterior oblique fold. 

 Cj No red on tail ; scales large, 58 to 73 in circumference of body. 



