DIVISION BIGHT — SCIKNCE. 599 



in number and variety of native specimens. But we still quote Mr. Wake- 

 ley as good authority on Pasadena birds. He says the California mocking 

 bird was not found north of lyOS Angeles county ten years ago, although it 

 may be now ; and that the California pygmy owl is the smallest owl in the 

 world ; he has seven varieties of native owls in his collection. In Febru- 

 ary, 1886, he found an albino finch — a specimen all white, and entirely new 

 to science, hence its scientific name would be Fringilla Alba Wakeleyii. In 

 1890 old Mr. Giddings shot another albino linnet or finch (all pure white), at 

 his home place, Giddings Heights. 



Ri3PTii,ES. 



Our most celebrated and characteristic reptile is the "horned toad," so 

 called, but which is not a toad at all but a species of lizard — Phrynosoma 

 cornuta. It burrows in the dry sand and dust, and lies dormant during the 

 winter season, coming out to run about and mate only in the warmest 

 weather. It is as harmless as a pet kitten, and when laid upon your warm 

 hand and gently stroked on its back with the other hand, it will blink its 

 eyes in a lazy, dreamy, contented sort of way, as if it really enjoyed the 

 warmth and the caressing. I have caught specimens from the size of my 

 finger nail up to nearly as large as my hand. They abound all over 

 Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and old Mexico. It is a 

 regular business in Pasadena to stuff and mount horned toads to sell as 

 California curios. In August, 1886, W. H. Wakeley advertised for 1000 

 horned toads for taxidermy purposes, and this set an army of boys scurrying 

 about the dusty plains and barrens, filling their pockets with horned toads 

 and earning many nickels for their own pocket money. In 1893 Wakeley's 

 Novelty Works mounted between 5,000 and 6,000 horned toads for the 

 California tourist and eastern trade, besides 100 dozen tarantulas, 100 dozen 

 scorpions, and a considerable number of trap-door spider nests and centi- 

 pedes. 



Rock I^izard. — In all canyons, mountain sides and rocky places the 

 California rock lizard will be seen — three varieties of him, to-wit: black, 

 gray, and iridescent or metallic luster lizard, but all of the same species. 

 The long-tailed lizard, or "snake-lizard," as it is mostly called, is a different 

 species — is more sluggish, more retiring, and not often seen.* I once 

 caught one which was thirteen inches long, about three-fourths of this 

 length being tail ; the body is more bulky and clumsy than the rock lizard, 

 and as I held it up by the tail it made a hissing noise like a snake and thrust 

 out a snake-like forked tongue. I have never caught but this one, and have 

 had brief glimpses of only three others. They are not numerous and are 



* " The Times correspondent at San Diego captured what is commonly known as "rattlesnake 

 lizard " on Saturday In form the creature resembles the Gila monster. Its general appearance is that 

 of a rattlesnake with legs. The head is like that of the rattler. The markings of the reptile's back 

 are like the markings of the snake. But the lizard's tail is devoid of rattles." — Los Angeles Times, 

 March 18, 1895. 



