Part L 



SNAKES IN GENERAL. 



npHE Australian Slow Worms, or Scale-footed Lizards 

 (family Pygopodidce), are nearly always mistaken 

 for snakes, and so treated. The limbs, of which only a 

 single pair is developed, are so small and pressed so 

 closely to the body, as to be unnoticed unless specially 

 sought for. These limbs are not used in progression, 

 and when moving through grass, over soil or on low 

 bushes, the slow worm looks remarkably like a snake. 



A typical lizard, with its four well-developed legs, 

 each provided with five toes, and its distinct head, body 

 and tail, cannot possibly be confounded with a typical 

 snake wherein limbs are entirely absent and the head 

 passes into the neck, thence imperceptibly into body 

 and tail. As, however, there are lizards without legs 

 and snakes with at least rudiments of them, it is clear 

 that other features will have to be looked for in order 

 to distinguish the two kinds of reptiles. 



Snakes and lizards agree in many particulars. 

 The scales which cover the body may be outwardly 

 indistinguishable and may approximate in color. 



