It is interesting to note that here, as in the northern species, stanshuriana, small dorsal scales are correlated with a cool habitat. It appears from the data presented here that Oallisaurusventralis, Uta stanshuriana, Sceloporus magister and Phrynosoma douglassii liemandesia are smaller in the northern part of their range than in the southern and that reduction in size in the first three species is related to a reduction in the number of femoral pores. These six males in the series have the front part of the double black collar continuous ventrally and a black patch on one side of the belly extending from the middle of the trunk over the groin region to a point one-third of the way down the back of the thigh.
The width of the head in the examined material rarely exceeds the distance from the nostril to the ear opening, and the distance from the nostril to the internal orbital angle is almost always equal to or greater than the vertical diameter of the ear opening. The back is covered with thin rounded granules which gradually increase from the head to the base of the tail and decrease laterally from the median doreal region; number of dorsal granules in length of head posterior to interparietal plate, 47; anteriorfromapointondorsum opposite the anus, 39; tail scales imbricate, dorsally inclined for most of distal four-fifths of their length; several rows of weakly spinous scales occupy the distal four-fifths of its lateral margins. In this series, as in the series from Fairbank and Fort Lowell, Arizona, the mean number of pores in each is greater than in the others.
At least it seems fair to take this position, as no specimens of the closely related genus HoTbrookia were obtained by Copea at the time and his observation has not been confirmed. Hahits. – In our experience, this lizard was the most conspicuous and common saurian in the places mentioned. Status and variation. A study of specimens of this lizard from the Lahontan Basin has led me to a rather detailed investigation of Uta stanshuriana, resulting in the discovery of a new subspecies and the revival of an old name for another.
The distinguishing characters he mentions are the color, the small size of the dorsal scales, and the reduced number of femoral pores.
414 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM
Description.—Like Uta stanshuriana Baird and Girard, but with larger and more heavily carinated and sharply pointed dorsal scales. The tail length in 6 males from the Colorado Eiver, Arizona and California, varies from 92.5 mm. In 8 females from the same region, the minimum length is 71.5 mm., the maximum 81.5 mm., the average 76.2 mm.; longer than a typical Uta stanshuriana examined.
In the coastal region of southern California, and probably also in the western part of the San Joaquin Valley of California, elegans intermingle freely with another form to be described here. Description of type.— Head from snout to posterior border of interparietal plate slightly longer than wide; nostrils separated by five small plates; there are four large supraparietals, completely surrounded by smaller scales, those on the outer edge the largest; the interparietal is the largest among the plates on the head and exceeds the four supraoculars in dimensions; on each side a long, keeled spur, fol-. The back is covered with small ibraceous scales, which are large along the middle part and diminish rather abruptly laterally; for about the length of the posterior part of the interseptal plate, the dorsals are small, rounded, and without a keel, then become larger, keeled, and slightly spiny, gradually increasing until they merge imperceptibly into a large, strongly keeled.
Dorsal and anterior surfaces of the forelimbs covered with keeled, overlapping scales, larger than those on the trunk. The longest toe from the fifth base to the tip of the fourth, including claw 17 status. The form merges completely with the toelegan along the Coast Range, in Riverside and San Diego Counties, and in the northwestern part of Lower California, Mexico.
418 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM
Habits.— At Derby Sceloporus magister was found in two distinct habitats, in and around riverside scrub, where it was most abundant, and on rocky slopes.
420 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM
Locality.-Feet collected at Tallac, Cahfornia and at Reno, CarsonCity, Derby, Pyramid LakeIndian Agency, TheWillows at Pyramid Lake and Pahsade, Nevada. Locality.—This "horned toad" was observed in considerable abundance along the lower Truckee River, WashoeCounty, Nevada, where Cope (1883) previously recorded it. In addition, there are two specimens in the Stanford University collection from Esmeralda County, Nevada, collected by JohnD.Reed.
Habits.—Phrynosoma platyrhinos was invariably found in the desert among low bushes, under which it ran when pursued. Location.—Five females of this species were collected July 5 at Deeth, Elko County, Nevada, providing a new record for the Lahontan Basin. Two large black garlic spots and at least two more spots on either side of the back, each bordered posteriorly by an interrupted white line.
This is apparently the first record of this species in the Lahontan Basin, having previously been found only on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains (Van Denburgh, 1898). It was previously taken in Lahontan Basin near Wadsworth, Washoe County; Carlin Elko County and Pine Forest Mountains (near Big Creek Ranch), HumboldtCounty, Nevada. The prey of insects of this species, according to the observations of Professor Snyder, is taken by means of the long thin tongue.
2; supralabials 7, third and fourth contact with eye; infralabials 7, the fourth the largest; postgenials less than one-third the length of the anterior genitalia. The following color notes relate to the specimen a few days after it was placed in formalin: head, dorsal, dark brown with pink suffusion, darkest on the parietal and posterior portion of the frontoparietal and supraocular plates. Locality.—This interesting little boa has not been seen by us in this region, but there is a specimen in the Stanford University collection from the vicinity of FallenLeaf Lake, Eldorado County, California, collected by C.V.Burke.
Status and Variation.—These specimens do not differ in quamation from specimens of Pituophis catenifer taken in California west of the Sierra Nevada divide. Locality.— Two males of this snake from Holbrook, Douglas County, Nevada, are in the collection of Stanford University. the species has been recorded from Lahontan Basinat HoneyLake, California and near Wadsworth, Nevada. 428 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. apparently this species was first observed in the La-hontan Basin.
Habits.— At Carson City the "striped racer" has been collected in rather heavy growths of Artemisia tridentata; at Pyramid Lake on lake opening between low-growing bushes. Location.—This garter snake has been secured in the vicinity of Tallac, on Lake Tahoe, and at Susamdlle, Lassen County, California.
430 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM
NORTHWESTERN NEVADA REPTILES—RICHARDSON.4:S1 of 1-2, while one in the Tahoe Series and two in the Carsons of 1-2, while one in the Tahoe Series and two in the Carson Series have the added number of two in each side. Ruthven (1908 p. 144) found that the variations approach numbers less than eight, and indeed noted only one individual out of 218 with the asymmetric number 8-9. Individuals in the Tahoe and Carson series have the formula most often, while 21-19-17 is more common in the Palisadeseries.
Snakes in the Tahoeseries have a lower average number of abdominal plates, 169.3 for males versus 175 and 175.5 for males from the Carson and Palisade series. Total length and tail length averages are significantly lower in the Tahoe series than in the Carson and Palisade series. The ratios of tail length to total length for the three series are: males average 25.3 percent; women average 22.7 percent.
The amount of material is too small to allow far-reaching conclusions, but it is interesting to note that the greatest variation occurs in the mountain-dwelling individuals, the smallest in the desert. Six specimens of this species in the Tahoe series (two from Tahoe . City, three from FallenLeaf Lake, and one from GlenAlpine) have different color types. With the exception of the uniform presence of the median dorsal stripe, this series does not differ from the Carson series.
Habits. – In Tallac, California, garter snakes of this species were often seen along small streams where they caught minnows (Agosia and RicJiardsonius, sp.) running up from the lake to spawn. Although a frog (Ranapipiens) was recovered from the stomach of a snake, virtually all contained dissected minnows. From field observations and stomach dissections it is clear that the smaller minnows are the staple diet of elegans in the Lahontan Basin during most of June and July. Five juveniles in the collection from the Tallac area (June 10-24) had very prominent scars marking the attachment of the yolk sac, indicating that they were of recent birth.
Location.—However, only one specimen of this species has been secured. it was reported to be abundant in several of the places visited. Description and status.- One anterior and one posterior nasal, internasals irregularly in six rows; preocular 2-2;scale in contact with eye between preocular and supraocular 5-6; supraocular 1-1;. On the posterior part of the body these ocelli are narrowed to form transverse bands, which become irregular near the tip of the tail.
LITERATURE CITED
