22 Transactions of the Academy of Science of St. Louis 
San Diego Alligator Lizard 
Gerrhonotus multi-carinatus webbiu 
I have not myself observed webbii in the field; however, 
good accounts of its habits have been given by other observers. 
It frequently climbs through. vines and bushes in foraging 
(Grinnell and Grinnell, 1907: 30), or to escape pursuit (Atsatt, 
1913: 38). Its relatively long and slender tail may be an adapta- 
tion in this direction. Because of its larger size it is probably 
more often predatory on small vertebrates than are other forms. 
Grinnell and Grinnell (loc. cit.) tell of one which seized and 
made off with a cactus wren after the bird had been shot. 
Gander (1931: 14) described the feeding of a captive individual, 
which ate fence lizards and a mouse as well as insects which 
were offered, attempted to devour a pigeon egg placed in its 
cage, and attacked a tree frog but was repulsed by the latter’s 
offensive secretion, 
The alimentary canal of one specimen which was examined 
contained only a trace of organic matter which could have been 
swallowed as food (beetle fragments and hair of a small mam- 
mal) but was crammed with a fine abrasive gravel. Numerous 
parasitic nematode worms were noted in the stomach and intes- 
tine. Possibly the lizard had eaten the gravel as a means of 
ridding itself of these worms. 
Grinnell (1908: 168) records finding a specimen 1034 inches 
in length in the stomach of-a 26 inch rattlesnake collected in 
Santa Ana Cafion, San Bernardino Mountains on June 20, 1907. 
Linsdale (1932: 370 
California stated: 
A Gerrhonotus 
hawks when it was shot.” 
» San Bernardino County, Cali- 
fornia. Gander (1931: 14) wro 
on June 20, 1930, and kept by 
Possibly the eggs are sometimes 
Females having developing ova 
the accompanying table. 
him laid 15 eggs on July 17. 
laid in the latter part of June. 
have been taken as shown in 
