470 6. HELODERMATIDJE 



probable that this locality is not correct. Cope has re- 

 ported it from San Francisco. All the specimens I have 

 seen have been collected in Monterey County, at Monte- 

 rey, Pacific Grove, Point Pinos, and Carmel Bay. Grinnell 

 and Camp record specimens from Morro Bay, San Luis 

 Obispo County, as varying toward -pulchra but do not state 

 that these specimens were adult. 



Habits. The Black Footless Lizard burrows in the soil 

 of the pine forests and sand dunes at Pacific Grove. It is 

 sometimes found under stones or boards, but travels swiftly 

 under the surface of the loose soil and is especially abundant 

 under the lupine bushes. An examination of the contents 

 of several stomachs has shown its food to consist of large 

 insect larvs (more than 1% inches long), and two small 

 ground-dwelling beetles (Helops and Platydema). Pro- 

 fessor Harold Heath, of Stanford University, has found 

 this lizard to be ovoviviparous. 



Family 6. HELODERMATID^ 

 This family contains the only lizards which are known 

 to be poisonous. There is but a single genus, with two 

 species. The tongue is large, deeply divided at tip, smooth 

 anteriorly but villose posteriorly. The teeth differ from 

 those of other lizards in being grooved. There are large 

 poison glands under the chin. The limbs are well devel- 

 oped. The skin of all the upper surfaces is covered with 

 large tubercles, which often ossify. The belly is provided 

 with squarish plates. Usually there are no femoral or 

 preanal pores, but one specimen has a single large preanal 

 pore. 



