11 JUN 1994


Tweeters,

Although not a bird subject, this may be of interest to the naturalist in you.

As one who enjoys finding snakes, lizards, amphibians and other 'herps' as well
as birds, I spend much of my birding time watching the roads and pathways
hoping to spot one of these creatures. Having been raised in Alaska where
reptiles are absent (except possibly sea turtles), I spent many childhood hours
pouring over the Peterson series guide to western reptiles fantasizing about
finding snakes and lizards if I ever found myself where they live.

It appears that the ranges of many western herps reach their northern extent
in Washington. This is true as well for the Pygmy Horned Lizard which,
according to the range maps in Peterson, is at its northern limit somewhere
near the Tricities area. As a college student in the late 1970s, a friend
reported finding them near Horn Rapids on the lower Yakima River in central
Benton County.

I have not been able find them anywhere in Washington until today when my two
sons found three horned lizards in central Yakima County in the foothills of
the Cascades. This is 70 miles west by northwest of the only other site I know
of, and 1300 feet higher (1900 ft). I was quite surprised to find them at this
altitude and this close to the mountains. They were less than 5 miles from
thick forests of Ponderosa Pine.

Two of the lizards were measured at 3 cm. and one at 8.2 cm.

Questions: Do any of you have experience with these animals in Washington?

Are they as rare in here as they have appeared to be to me for
so many years?


Scott Ray
SCRAY at DELPHI.COM