The Skinks or Smooth-scaled Lizards 



and the stripes rapidly fade; those on the sides are the longest to 

 remain well defined. Female specimens retain dull stripes 

 through life, but the males become a uniform, dull olive-brown 

 on the body and bright red about the head. With maturity the 

 head becomes very wide and swollen at the temples. 



The transformation from a coal-black, vividly striped liz- 

 ard having a brilliant blue tail, to a plain, brownish creature 

 with a bright, reddish head, has incited some technical writers, 

 who have not appreciated the exact conditions, to name two 

 distinct species. (See illustrations). 



Dimensions. Following are the measurements of a fair- 

 sized specimen of the "Red-headed" Lizard the adult phase of 

 the species: 



Total Length 9^ inches. 



Length of Tail 5 



Greatest Diameter i 



Width of Head (temples) i 



Length of Front Leg if 



' Hind if 



These measurements are from an example taken near Savan- 

 nah, Georgia. It is only in the Southern States that the species 

 attains such large proportions. North of South Carolina the 

 size is moderate and in the Virginias, Pennsylvania, New York 

 and New Jersey the average length of adult specimens is about 

 six inches. 



Distribution. The species occurs from Massachusetts to 

 Florida and westward to central Texas. It is rare in the Northern 

 States. The writer has taken occasional specimens in Connecticut. 

 In New Jersey it is more common. Throughout the dry, pine 

 woods of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida it abounds, attains 

 the largest size and undergoes the most complete colour metamor- 

 phosis. 



Habits. Described at the end of the list of species. 



Hay den's Skink, Eumeces leptogrammus, (Baird). Similar 

 to the preceding, but has a lesser number of scale rows 24 to 26. 

 The young are black, with five dotted lines; tail blue. Adult 

 olive. 



Dimensions. A small species, attaining a total length of 

 about six inches. 



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