518 University of California Publications in Zoology [Vol. 12 



viduals and behind one femur in three ; they are in all cases very small 

 and obscure. 



Measurements in Millimeters of Vma notata from Near Blythe Junction, 

 Riverside County, California 



Sex and number .... 5445 ^ 5452 ? 5450 J 5449 <j> 5456 J 5454 5 5451 J 5453 ? 



Total length 215 181 193 172 201 180 202 139 



Tail length 112 94 96 90 108 94 98 69 



Body length 103 76 97 82 93 86 104 70 



Hind foot 31 27 30 27 32 27 32 26 



Base of 5th to end 



of 4th toe 27 23 26 22 27 24 27 20 



Snout to ear 19 18 19 18 19 18 18 15 



Head width 16 15 17 15 17 15 18 12 



The ocellated sand lizard has so far been taken only at a few locali- 

 ties within a circumscribed area on the deserts of the southwest. It 

 is strictly confined to belts of wind-blown sand, and in the vicinity of 

 Blythe Junction was never seen beyond the borders of a narrow zone 

 of sand dunes two miles south of the railroad. Many of these shy 

 lizards were abroad in the hotter part of the day, scurrying over the 

 fine sand, with a cloud of dust in their wake, or foraging beneath 

 squaw-tea bushes on the dunes. Seldom was an individual taken un- 

 awares, and it was found difficult in most cases to approach an alert 

 animal close enough for a successful shot with the .32 caliber auxilliary. 

 Plate 22, figure 7, from an animal in captivity, shows the posture when 

 fully alert. 



The speed attained by these heavy lizards on loose sand is not so 

 great as that of Crotaphytus, Cnemidophorus and Callisaurus in the 

 same situations, despite the broadening fringe of scales on the toes. 

 When alarmed they make for the nearest dune and turn behind it to 

 enter a Dipodornys or Citellus hole or to bury themselves quickly in 

 sand as the gridiron-tails do, the broad nose of which lizards their own 

 shovel-like snout resembles. The tracks of the hind feet of a lima 

 running at top speed are five to six inches apart ; and the deep imprints 

 of these members indicate that most of the work is done by the hind 

 legs, the fore limbs being merely used to balance the creature. The 

 tail is curled upward while running, as in Callisaurus. 



Their curious color patterns, though they may seem unduly strik- 

 ing when viewed in the specimen in hand, really harmonize in strong 

 light with the buff tint of the sands, and the lizards are seldom de- 

 tected until they begin to move. 



