140 BRITISH LIZARDS 



to the snakes, observing that in some families, that of 

 the boa-constrictor for example, snakes have external 

 indications of limbs in the shape of spurs, a subject 

 which is beyond our province here. 



The general conclusions to be drawn from an 

 examination of all the lizards which exhibit some 

 stage of degeneration in the limbs, are summed up 

 by Professor Cope somewhat as follows. It is obvious 

 that degeneracy of the scapular and pelvic arches to 

 which the fore and hind limbs are attached when 

 present, sooner or later follows partial or complete 

 loss of the limbs themselves. In the Diploglossa 

 (lizards with papillose tongues), the fore-limbs have 

 disappeared more generally than the hind-limbs. In 

 the skinks the limbs incline to degenerate more 

 equally, the fore and hind limbs tending to be at the 

 same stage. In one or two groups it seems that the 

 fore-limbs have a tendency to persist longer than the 

 hind-limbs. The scapular arch remains long after 

 the degeneration and loss of the fore-limbs, before it 

 degenerates itself, while the pelvic arch degenerates 

 previously to the loss of the hind-limb. 



The various parts of the scapular arch degenerate 

 in the following order: — (1) limb; (2) interclavicle 

 (generally) ; (3) costal attachment ; (4) sternum. 



The order of disappearance of the parts in the 

 pelvis is : — (1) pubis and ischium together (generally) ; 

 (2) limb ; (3) ilium. 



" The conclusion that the rudimental condition of 



