no. 2078. REPTILES OF NORTHWESTERN NEVADA— RICHARDSON. 421 



is a very pronounced brown preanal spot on the males. The three 

 Carson City specimens are intermediate between the Tallac and Deeth 

 series. The single specimen from Palisade, Nevada, does not differ 

 from Deeth specimens. 



Habits. — Sceloporus graciosus was observed at Tallac California, 

 on low, sparsely forested moraines among Artemisia tridentata, Arc- 

 tostapJiylus, sp. and Geanothus, sp. At Carson City, Palisade, and Deeth, 

 Nevada, it was collected in growths of Artemisia tridentata. The 

 stomachs of seven individuals collected at Tallac were examined, 

 with the following results: three contained insects only, while four 

 held insects and bits of plant leaves. The identified insects were 

 small beetles, one ichneumon fly, and ants, beetles being the most 

 abundant. Small larvae were found in two stomachs. 



Two females collected at Tallac on June 16 held two and three large 

 eggs, respectively. One shot on June 19 contained four eggs. 



SCELOPORUS BISERIATUS Hallowell. 



Locality. — Specimens were collected at Tallac, California, and at 

 Reno, Carson City, Derby, Pyramid Lake Indian Agency, The Willows 

 on Pyramid Lake, and Palisade, Nevada. It was seen at Tahoe 

 City, Truckee, and Susanville, California. There is also one speci- 

 men from the Palmetto Mountains, southwest of Barrel Springs, Esme- 

 ralda County, Nevada, in the Stanford University collection. The 

 species has been previously found at Pyramid Lake and at Quinn 

 River Crossing, Virgin Valley, and in the vicinity of the Pine Forest 

 Mountains, Humboldt County, Nevada. 



Status. — I can detect no marked differences between the series from 

 the above localities and typical specimens from southern California. 

 The number of dorsal scales in a line from the interparietal plate to 

 a point above the posterior surfaces of the thighs varies in 34 speci- 

 mens from 38 to 48, average 42.7. The femoral pores range in 31 

 specimens from 13 to 23 on each thigh, average 16.9 



The series is quite uniform in dorsal coloration. Young specimens 

 have two rows of wavy dark-brown blotches, which generally fade 

 and become indistinctly outlined in the adults. The space between 

 the blue patches on the ventral surface of adults is usually clouded 

 over with black pigment, except for a gray line separating them. 

 The black pigment often extends over the ventral surface of the 

 femurs. The single blue throat spot is more or less surrounded by 

 black. The under surface of the tail is suffused with dark pigment 

 which gives it a gray appearance. Females are less heavily pigmented 

 ventrally than males. The young of both sexes resemble the adult 

 females in ventral coloration. 



Habits. — Throughout the Lahontan Basin covered by this expedi- 

 tion Sceloporus biseriatus proved to be a rock-dwelling form. It was 



