SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 27 



Quercus agrifolia. The late Dr. Stitzenberger recognized it as a 

 n. sp., placing it under Lecanora. Subsequently Dr. Ny lander, 

 in view of the dark brittle hypothecium, transferred it to Lecidea 

 as L. sublugens Ngl. It has now been recognized by Dr. Zahl- 

 bruckner as a true Dirina. Ann. K. K. Natur. Hist. Hofmus. 

 xvii. 8r. Vienne, 1901. 



Dirina hassei Zahlbr. n. sp. Ball. Torr. Bot. xxvii. 644, 

 1901. The original, and so far only known, station on the 

 beach near Santa Monica, on bark of Rhus iaurinum. 



It is not improbable that further search along our coast 

 and adjacent islands may be rewarded by the discovery of other 

 species of Dirina. 



Silvery Footless Lizard or Snake. 



Aniella piilcJira. Gray, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. 

 Aniella nigra. Fisher, Abh. Nat. Verein Hamburg (Var.) 



BY PROF. J. J. RIVERS. 



Fig. 4. Silvery Footless Lizard. ( -A, Natural Size) 



An anatomical digest of the relationship of Aniella to other 

 lyacertians is to be found in the U. S. Natural Museum Reports, 

 Vol. 17, page 345, by Dr. Baur. This lizard inhabits the sand 

 dunes from Marin county to San Diego, Cal. Its food consists 

 of larvae of insects, its time of activity is during the night when 

 many species in the larval form are seeking their vegetable food. 

 Both the reptile and the insect are invisible during the day as 

 both have the habit of burrowing for the purpose of concealment. 

 But prowling in the dark does not ensure safety for the vege- 

 table feeder succumbs to the insectivorous and the insectivorous 

 become the prey of the birds of the night. 

 Ocean Park, Santa Monica. 



