REPTILIA. 307 



the limb stumps healed over. Finally, Dr. D. F. Weinland collected the lizard, 

 in due time it became the type of a supposed new genus. 



This imperfect specimen, however great its historic value, is almost worth- 

 less for purposes of comparison with C. crusculus Garman, from Jamaica, its 

 very close ally. I believe it most unwise to conclude that these two species 

 are identical until a comparison can be made, based on more extensive collections 

 from Haiti. I have given reasons for wariness in making such conclusions under 

 the heading of C. crusculus Garman (p. 305). 



If the toes had been cut off the type of C. maculatus, it would be quite indis- 

 tinguishable from the type of C. crusculus; but with the feet perfect, the species 

 may be recognized at once. Some such character may exist in C. costatus. 



Cope said, when describing Celestus phoxinus, (Proc. Acad. nat. sci. Phila., 

 1868, p. 125) that "This elegant species was found by Dr. D. F. Weinland, near 

 Jeremie, Hayti, and was placed by him in the Museum of Comparative Zoology, 

 Cambridge, Mass., in care of Prof. Agassiz." I have been quite unable to locate 

 the type, nor do I know whether Garman had it for comparison with C. costatus 

 when he announced the identity of the two species. 



Cricosaura typica Gundlach & Peters. 



Gundlach & Petees, Monatsb. Akad. wiss. Berlin, 1863, p. 362, pi., fig. 1-6. Bocourt, Miss. sci. 

 Mex. Reptil., p. 313, pi. 20, fig. 14-18. Boulenger, Cat. lizards Brit, mus., 1885, 2, p. 329. 



This remarkable archaic monotypic genus has for herpetologists an interest 

 equivalent to that which is held for Solenodon among students of mammals. 

 Its excessive rarity, there does not seem to be a single example preserved in 

 an American museum, outside of Cuba, makes it the most-to-be-desired booty 

 of any naturalist who may collect in Cuba. 



On the continent, its allies of the genus Xantusia were almost equally rare 

 until it was found that X. vigilis Baird lived by day among the drooping dead 

 leaves of the great tree yuccas of our southwestern deserts (Van Denburgh, 

 Occ. papers Cal. acad. sci-., 1897, 5, p. 123-128). Xantusia henshawi Stejneger 

 lives among granite boulders, and can be found for a few moments before dark 

 only, as it does not come out from its hiding place until after sundown. 



Lepidophyma, the only other genus of the Xantusiidae is also semi-nocturnal. 

 Sumichrast is quoted by Bocourt (Miss. Sci. Mex. Reptil., p. 311-312) as saying 

 that it lives in the darkest humid forests. Its habits are somewhat like those of a 

 gekko, living in the decayed galleries, or in the crevices of old tree trunks, much 

 more rarely among rocks. It is never seen abroad by day; but nevertheless is 

 not really rare, once one knows where and how to search for it. 



