SPECIES OF THE GENUS XANTUSIA. 527 



of a large series of these lizards was merely a matter of 

 physical exertion. Every fourth or fifth stem that was ex- 

 amined gave up its Xantusia, and in one instance five, as 

 many as were previously known to collections, were found 

 under a single tree. 



Most of the lizards were found between the bark and 

 the ground, but many had hidden in the thick clusters of 

 -dead leaves, from which it was very difficult to dislodge 

 them. When first exposed to the light, they were dark 

 colored, and seemed dazzled for a moment, during which 

 they made no attempt to escape. They were not at all 

 sluggish, however, and, if not caught immediately, made 

 for the nearest cover as fast as their very short legs would 

 permit. This cover was often the collector, and the little 

 lizards either hid under his shoes, or climbed his legs, 

 sometimes even reaching his shoulders. They showed no 

 desire to enter the numerous holes in the ground about 

 them, or to escape by burrowing. Put into a glass bottle 

 the}^ became very light colored in a few minutes, but be- 

 gan to turn dark again immediately after sundown. Young 

 specimens were numerous, and remained dark longer 

 than adults. Many fragments of cast skins were found, 

 but never a whole skin in one place. The stomachs of 

 several individuals contained the wings of some small 

 dipterous insect, the elytra of a little brown beetle, and 

 some very small white bodies which resembled spiders' 

 eggs. 



Several specimens were taken alive to The Leland 

 Stanford Junior University, and kept for some months in 

 a large glass jar in which some fine sand and pieces of 

 wood and bark had been placed. At first, they ventured 

 out from their retreat only at dusk unless disturbed, but 

 after a few days they seemed to become more restless, 

 and, urged perhaps by hunger, showed themselves many 



