46 



ANGUID.E. 



part is wholly without spots or lines ; the sides only being 

 marked with an obscure band. The belly is of a bluish black 

 colour, with whitish reticulations. The young ones are very 

 light yellowish grey above ; the sides and belly quite black ; 

 and there is a black dot on the vertex, and another on the 

 occiput, — which latter gives origin to a slender longitudinal 

 black line down the back. 



The total length is from ten to twelve, or even fourteen 

 inches : the head half an inch, or a little more. The vig- 

 nette gives a representation of the under part of the tail, and 

 of the upper part of the head. 



The Anguis Eryx of Linneus, the Aberdeen Snake of Pen- 

 nant, communicated to them by Dr. David Skene, and said 

 to have been taken in Aberdeenshire, was certainly nothing 

 more than the common Slow-worm ; and, from the descrip- 

 tion, can scarcely be considered even as a variety of it, so 

 little does it differ, if indeed it can be said to diifer at all, 

 from its normal appearance. 



