Lower Wilson Creek NC Reptiles 29 



Huheey and Stupka 1967). Western Piedmont records from North 

 Carolina are from Gaston, Randolph and Stokes counties (pers. comm., 

 Palmer and Braswell). The Wilson Creek population apparently fills in 

 a rather large hiatus between known populations. The site is about 225 

 km (140 mi) east-northeast of Swain County sites, 141 km (90 mi) north- 

 east of Transylvania County records, 105 km (65 mi) north-northwest 

 of Gaston County sites, 160 km (100 mi) west of Randolph County 

 populations, and 140 km (85 mi) west-southwest of the Stokes County 

 site. The closest Tennessee population is at least 160 km (100 mi) to the 

 west. These lizards seemed to prefer rather xeric situations compared to 

 other skinks at the site, as reported by Mount (1975) in Alabama and 

 Minton (1972) in Indiana. Otherwise, there was little difference in the 

 sites where this species and Eumeces fasciatus were found. 



Scincella laterale. — Ground skinks are widely distributed in south- 

 eastern United States except at higher elevations (Conant 1965; Mar- 

 tof et al. 1980; pers. comm.. Palmer and Braswell). Bruce (1965) found 

 this species up to 945 m (3100') in southwestern North Carolina. It has 

 been reported from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park up to 

 about 793 m (2600') (King 1939; Huheey and Stupka 1967). Weller 

 (1930) also found the species near Chimney Rock, Rutherford County, 

 North Carolina. Several general works suggest that this species is rela- 

 tively tolerant of dry, hot places (Mount 1975; Minton 1972), but it can 

 apparently also live in some cooler, higher places. 



The Wilson Creek site is about 40 km (25 mi) north-northeast of 

 the closest record in McDowell County (pers. comm.. Palmer and 

 Braswell) and represents the most northern montane population yet 

 reported. 



Tantilla coronata. — The distribution of the southeastern crowned 

 snake includes many areas in the Coastal Plain and Piedmont Plateau 

 and several areas in the mountains (Conant 1975; Martof et al. 1980; 

 pers. comm.. Palmer and Braswell). The highest record for North Carol- 

 ina is 428 m (1400') in Transylvania County (Bruce 1965). In the Great 

 Smoky Mountains National Park this species has been recorded only on 

 the Tennessee side at elevations up to 610 m (2000') (King 1939; Huheey 

 and Stupka 1967). The Wilson Creek specimen extends the known 

 range of this species in North Carolina 40 km (32 mi) north-northeast of 

 a Burke County site and about 80 km (50 mi) west of an Alexander 

 County locality. It also extends slightly the known elevational range in 

 North Carolina. 



Co-occurrence of four species in one area outside their previously 

 known distributions argues fairly strongly that the populations are 

 native to the site and brings up questions about why they persist at the 

 site and when and how they arrived there. Their survival seems to be tied 

 to the microenvironment of Wilson Creek gorge. Exposed rocks provide 



