10 U. S. p. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS ROUTE IN CALIFORNIA. 



Char. 5. The body is cylindrical, without spines, or crest, or lateral groove, and covered 

 with smooth scales, variable in form and size, and disposed in a quincunx. 



Char. 0. The extremities and tail are covered like the body. 



This family includes a great number of genera, differing from each other in the form and 

 disposition of the teeth ; in the form and number of the cephalic plates ; in the mode of opening 

 of the nostrils, whether in one or more plates ; in the presence or absence of eyelids, whether 

 single or not ; in the presence or absence of extremities, their number, &c., &c. Of this exten- 

 sive family, only three genera bave as yet been observed in the United States, viz : Plestiodon, 

 Scincus* and Lygosoma, (Holbrook,) to which we add the following : 



Gen. EUMECES. Wiegmann. 

 EUMECES QUADEILINEATUS. Nob. 



Sp. Char. — Two supero-nasals contiguous ; internasal mucb more extended in the lateral than 

 antero-posterior direction, its internal margins in contact with tbe anterior frenal ; two fronto- 

 nasal contiguous, lateral border in contact with the posterior frenal ; frontal hexagonal, elongated 

 broader anteriorly ; fronto-parietal rbomboidal, placed obliquely ; inter-parietal broad, with an 

 acute angle in front, passing in between the fronto-parietals ; parietals oblong, quadrilateral ; 

 four supra-orbitars ; a small naso-frenal ; an anterior and posterior frenal, the latter much larger ; 

 twelve rows of smooth bexagonal scales upon the back, beginning witb those marked by tbe 

 lateral vitta ; lower eyelid covered with scales. 



Color. — Shining black or brown above, witb four blueisb vittfe, the two internal broader than 

 tbe others, commencing about midway upon the sides of the head immediately over the eyes, 

 and extending along the back and terminating upon the tail ; the lateral ones commence at the 

 anterior margin of tbe orbit, and, passing beneath it, extend upon the sides and are lost upon 

 the tail ; chin and throat whitish ; abdomen and under part of tail slate color ; under surface 

 of extremities whitish. 



Dimensions. — Length of head, § inch ; breadth, \ inch ; length of body and tail, A\ inches ; of 

 tail, 2| inches ; of anterior extremities, \ inch ; of posterior, f inch. 



Habitat. — Southern part of Upper California, near Mohave river, and in San Bernardino valley. 



• The genus Scincus docs not exist in the United States, the only species, viz : S. officinalis, being found, according to 

 Dumeril & Bibon, in N. and W. Africa, Egypt, Abyssinia, and also Syria. 



