124 THE VIVARIUM. 
The Common Skink is a curious-looking animal about, when 
full grown, 8in. long. It seems to have no neck, and its head 
is wedge-shape. Its tail, which is very thick at the base, is short 
in proportion to the body, conical, and poimted. The small ear- 
openings are placed near the corners of the mouth and are toothed 
in front; the digits, or toes, are also toothed laterally. The 
scales of the animal’s body are quite smooth, and the rostral scale 
is very large. The limbs are short, and the body is long. The 
colour of the upper parts is yellowish-brown, sometimes silvery- 
grey, marked, as a rule, with darker cross-bands; the under- 
surfaces are whitish. This animal comes from the western and 
northern parts of Africa. In a wild state it lives on sandy 
plains, burrowing quickly into the sand on the approach of 
danger. It is very active, considering its build. 
The Vivarium in which this and most other Skinks are con- 
fined should be provided with rather a deep layer of dry mould 
or fine sand. They need not be supplied with anything else for a 
shelter, as they will bury themselves quite out of sight in the 
sand or mould whenever they desire to hide. On bright sunny 
days they come from their places of retirement and bask upon the 
surface of that which covers the bottom of their case. 
As the Skinks do not bathe, the water need only be supplied 
in a very small and shallow vessel. The Common Skink will eat, 
while in confinement, mealworms, cockroaches, gentles, and flies. 
Some individuals may be persuaded to partake of pieces of raw 
meat. 
The price of this Reptile varies from 2s. 6d. to 10s., according 
to supply and demand. It should be kept during winter in a 
heated Vivarium. 
The Ocellated Sand-Skink (Gongylus ocellatus, Gray, or Chal- 
codes ocellatus, Boulenger, Fig. 46, p. 127), is a very hand- 
some Reptile, whose scales are smooth and glossy, and whose 
colouration, though various, is in all cases pleasing. Its 
upper parts are tawny, brown, or olive, with a bronzed 
appearance, and marked with black spots, which sometimes 
run into each other, and which have an oblong white mark in 
their centre; hence the specific name. ‘The markings, how- 
ever, vary, not only in arrangement, but also in the proportions 
