12 Transactions of the Academy of Science of St. Louis 
and examined it, and then seized it by the dorsal side of the 
abdomen. Held in this position the scorpion was unable io 
reach the lizard with its chelae but struck repeatedly with its 
sting. The first few blows hit on the scales of the temporal 
region and seemed to have no effect, then the sting struck the 
soft skin at the corner of one eye. The lizard showed signs of 
discomfiture and rubbed the scorpion on the ground, but con- 
tinued to swallow it. For several minutes that it was watched 
after the scorpion had been swallowed, it kept the eye tightly 
closed. On the following day it was examined and found to 
be normal. 
When a three-fourths grown house mouse was placed in a cage 
with several of these lizards of various sizes, a close connection 
between defense reactions and feeding was shown. The larger 
lizards at once began stalking the mouse but were hesitant in 
striking when they reached favorable positions. e lizard, 
which was less than half grown and which could not possibly 
have swallowed the mouse, followed it and struck at it 
at pursuit but assumed a threatening attitude, puffed up its body, 
opened its mouth, and then jumped at the animal whenever it 
came near. Twice this lizard caught the mouse in its jaws and 
rolled rapidly over and over, then released it and ran to the 
opposite end of the cage. The second time this happened, the 
mouse was seized by the back of the neck and was so injured 
Hl it was dashed against the ground that it died a moment 
ater. 
Later I divided the body of the mouse and dangled part of 
it in front of the largest lizard. The latter hissed threateningly, 
jumped at it several times, and finally caught and swallowed it. 
A part of the mouse was left in the cage and several hours 
afterward one of the lizards was found devouring it. 
n one occasion, during a morning’s collecting, reptiles of 
several different kinds including Oregon Alligator Lizards were 
placed together in a bag. When they were removed, a large 
alligator lizard was in the act of swallowing an eight inch yellow- 
bellied racer (Coluber constrictor mormon) and only the pos- 
terior third of the snake’s body protruded from its mouth. 
Probably the lizard had first bitten the snake in self defense and 
not with the intention of devouring it. Captive individuals can 
be fed by hand and, if they are hungry, they will voluntarily 
swallow insects or pieces of raw meat placed between their jaws 
when they attempt to bite. In the wild, a large individual might 
form the habit of preying upon small mammals or birds by 
repeated experiences of overpowering such prey which it had 
first attacked as a defensive gesture. 
