92 University of California Publications in Zoology [Vol. 27 
and Camp, 1917, p. 137). In southern California it has been obtained 
at Fort Tejon, Kern County (Cope, 1869, p. 98), in the Santa Monica 
Mountains, Los Angeles County (Kuthling, 1915, p. 62), eastward to 
mountains north of Claremont (Grinnell and Camp, loc. cit.). This 
species has been recorded on San Pedro Martir Mountain, Lower Cali- 
fornia (Van Denburgh, 1895a, p. 560). There is also a record for a 
Batrachoseps at La Paz but this needs confirmation, as no specimens 
have been obtained there in the last forty-four years despite the num- 
ber of collectors who have visited the region. 
Life-history. — This salamander is abundant in most parts of its 
range during the w T et season, but as soon as the ground becomes dry 
it retires beneath the surface and is seen no more until the next rainy 
period. During the rainy season any log, stone, or board on the 
ground under or adjacent to the shade of trees in the foothill country 
will usually have one or more of these animals under it. 
Wherever found Batrachoseps attenuatus is strictly terrestrial 
although captive individuals have occasionally been observed to climb 
the sides of glass-walled terraria in which they were confined. In a 
state of nature the animals live under objects resting on the surface 
of the ground where moisture is conserved, in the cavities of rotted 
stumps or logs, and in leaf mold. 
On the University of California campus at Berkeley this salaman- 
der is normally abundant. In 1921 watch was kept of suitable retreats 
for the species adjacent to the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, and 
fully 50 of the animals were present under boxes and boards within 
20 feet of the building. They disappeared entirely in early May, but 
with the first rains of the autumn (November) they reappeared in 
customary numbers. Upon visiting a certain box under a grove of 
Pittosporum trees 15 or more were usually to be found during the 
daytime. In late February all of the Batrachoseps occurring there 
were collected; within ten days a dozen or more additional animals 
were found. On succesive days the population was different in num- 
bers and distribution suggesting that these salamanders do not have 
so fixed a ‘homing’ response as do toads. On the night of March 7 I 
visited the box at 11 p.m. and found only two salamanders present. 
The ground and leafy debris adjacent were examined carefully with 
the aid of an electric flash lamp but none of the animals could be seen. 
Next morning the space under the box was. found to harbor the usual 
number of salamanders; in addition to these, two individuals were 
found on the surface of the ground away from the box, but under some 
