5. SAUROMALUS 91 



Blythe Junction, Providence Mountains, Warren's Wells), 

 Riverside (Riverside Mountain Colorado River, Cotton- 

 wood Springs, Palm Springs, Santa Rosa Mountains at 

 Dos Palmos Springs, Snow Creek San Jacinto Mountains), 

 Imperial (Coyote Wells, Hanlon's Ranch, Fort Yuma, 12 

 miles southwest from Palo Verde), and San- Diego (Moun- 

 tain Springs, "Julian Mountains," east slope Cuyamaca 

 Mountains at 2,000 feet, Warren's Ranch), counties. 



In Lower California, Mocquard reports it from San 

 Ignacio, Mulege, and the Arroyo Santa Agueda. A speci- 

 men from Agua Verde Bay (73 caudals, 161 ventral rows, 

 15-16 pores) seems to belong to this species. 



Habits. This lizard, the largest native to California, 

 shares with several others the curious habit of defending 

 itself with its tail. As this organ is very large and muscu- 

 lar the animal can strike very quick and well-aimed blows, 

 and does so with great vigor when teased. This habit is 

 similar to that of the rather closely related Spiny-tailed 

 Iguanas, of the genus Ctenosaura, with which the Chuck- 

 walla also shares the habit of inflation of its body to pre- 

 vent removal from a crevice or other place of retreat. 



Dr. Merriam, (N. Amer. Fauna, No. 7, 1893, p. 174.) 

 states that "It was generally found on lava or other dark 

 rocks with which its coloration harmonized. It is a vege- 

 tarian, feeding entirely, so far as our observations go, on 

 the buds and flowers of plants, with the addition some- 

 times of a few leaves. It is much prized by the Panamint 

 Indians as an article of food. A number were eaten by 

 members of our expedition, and their flesh was reported 

 to be tender and palatable." Dr. Fisher examined a num- 

 ber of stomachs of this lizard, "in which he found the fol- 

 lowing plants (either flowers or foliage or both): Dalea 



