274 Transactions. — Zoology. 



SCINCIDZE. 



Chakacters of the Family. 



External Form. 



Head slightly depressed ; body more or less round. Tongiic 



moderately long, free and feebly nicked in front ; covered with 



imbricate scale-like papillae. 



Tail usually long, cylindrical, covered with scales similar 

 to those on the body, rather fragile, slowly reproduced. 



Limbs very various, from well-developed and pentadactyle 

 to quite rudimentary. 



Eye and Ear. — Eye moderately large, pupil round, eye- 

 lids usually well developed, movable, except in Ablcpharus 

 (not a New Zealand form) ; scaly or with a transparent disk. 

 Tympanum usually more or less exposed. 



Tegu7nenis. 

 Skin covered with cycloid-hexagonal, rarely rhomboidal, 

 imbricate scales, which may be either smooth or keeled, dor- 

 sals usually the largest, and laterals smallest. Head covered 

 with symmetrical shields. No femoral pores. 



Endo-skeleton. 



Skull slightly depressed, prsemaxillary bones two, some- 

 times incompletely separated ; nasal double ; frontal single or 

 double ; parietal single ; postorbital and postfronto-temporal 

 arches complete, osseous ; interorbital septum and columella 

 cranii well developed ; infraorbital fossa present, bounded by 

 the maxillary, the transverse bone, the palatine, and often 

 also by the pterygoid. Skull with bony dermal-plates over- 

 roofing the supratemporal fossa. 



Teeth. — Dentition pleurodont ; the teeth conical, bicuspid, 

 or with spheroidal or compressed crowns ; the new teeth 

 hollow out the base of the old ones. Pterygoid teeth may be 

 present. 



Vertebra. — No ossified abdominal ribs. 



Limb-nrchcs. — Pectoral and pelvic arches constantly 

 present. Clavicle dilated and perforated proximally ; inter- 

 clavicle cruciform. 



Mode of Beproduction. 

 Oviparous or viviparous ; eggs oval, shell membranous, 

 flexible. 



Lygosoma, Fitzing. 

 Palatine bones in contact mesially ; pterygoid bones 

 usually also in contact anteriorly, the palatal notch not ex- 

 tending forwards to between the centre of the eyes ; pterygoid 

 teeth minute or absent. Maxillary teeth conical or obtuse. 

 Eyelids well developed. Ear distinct or hidden ; if distinct. 



