THE COLLARED LIZARD. 



(Crotaphytus collaris.} 



The Collared or Ring-necked Lizard the rattlesnakes. The only place where I 

 may be found among the rocks and open found them abundant was between Vine- 

 woods of the plateau or in desert regions land and the old Kingston mines. Dur- 

 from southern Missouri southward into ing the hot summer months they make 

 Mexico, westward to southeastern Cali- their appearance upon the broad slabs of 

 fornia and northward to southern Idaho, rock, often quite a distance from their 

 However, this is its general range, and it lairs. When disturbed they make a dash 

 is not common over all this territory, to escape and usually in the direction that 

 Though it has been known to ascend to leads to their accustomed crevice, even 

 an altitude o'f nearly six thousand feet, though the intruder is in its path. I 

 yet it does not seem to have crossed the have had them run almost across my feet 

 Sierra Nevada range, as it has not been in their frantic efforts to hide. They are 

 observed at any point on the Pacific coast a somewhat terrifying object as they run 

 or the interior of California. toward you. At this time they apparent- 



The Collared Lizard is so called be- ly assume a partly upright position, 



cause of the black bars, which resemble a looking for all the world like a small edi- 



collar, and are situated between the fore tion of Mephistopheles. The negroes are 



legs and extend across the back of the mortally afraid of them. They call them 



animal. They vary greatly in color, de- 'Glade Devils,' and the more supersti- 



pending-on their age or geographical po- tious believe that the souls of the very 



sition. The back is usually some shade bad negroes reside in them. A negro will 



of dull or rather dark green, or it may never go through a glade frequented by 



have a bluish cast, with numerous oblong this species, and will make a long detour 



or rounded lighter spots, which may be to avoid doing so. The only time I ever 



either whitish, or various shades of red, saw a negro 'turn gray' was when I 



orange or yellow. These spots may be brought one of these lizards to Ironton 



quite definite or they may form quite con- and asked for assistance in capturing it 



tinuous bands. The variations in color when it escaped. They are so swift in 



are much more marked in the young. their movements that I found the best 



Dr. Cope tells us that "it runs very method of capturing them was by tying a 



swiftly, carrying the tail over its back. In noose of fine copper wire to a fish pole. 



its manners it is perhaps the most pug- This can be slipped over their heads, as 



nacious of our lizards, opening its mouth they lie sunning themselves, as they seem 



when cornered, and biting savagely. Its to pay but little attention to the loop as it 



sharp teeth can do no more than slightly touches them. By exercising caution it 



cut the skin." is possible to approach from the rear to 



Mr. Frank M. Woodruff relates the within eight or ten feet without exciting 

 following interesting account of his ex- them. They make delightful pets, if a 

 periences with this lizard : "I found the lizard can be considered such. By feed- 

 Collared Lizard at three points in Mis- ing them through the winter on meal 

 souri Yineland, DeSoto and Pilot Knob, worms and in the summer on flies and 

 They are restricted to the rocky slades, grasshoppers they can be kept for a year 

 where they live with the scorpions and or more." 



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