194 REPORT OF NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM. 
The great majority of the numerous species inhabit the tropics 
or sub-tropical regions, and the few found within our limits give 
but a slight idea of this whole great group. 
Key to the families. 
a. Tongue covered with imbricate scale-like papillae or with oblique plice; 
clavicle dilated proximally, often loop-shaped. SCINCIDAS 
aa. ‘Tongue smooth or with villous papille; clavicle not dilated proximally. 
IGUANIDA 
Family SCINCIDZ. 
The Skinks. 
Body fusiform or cylindrical. Tongue moderately long, free 
and feebly nicked in front, and covered with imbricate scale- 
like papille. Dentition pleurodont, teeth conical, bicuspid, or 
with spheroidal or compressed crowns. New teeth hollow out 
bases of old ones. Pterygoid teeth present or absent. Pupil 
round. Eyelids well developed. Premaxillaries 2, sometimes 
incompletely separated. Nasal double. Frontal single or double. 
Parietal single. Postorbital and postfrontotemporal arches com- 
plete, osseous. Interorbital septum and columella-crani well 
developed. Infraorbital fossa present, bounded by maxillary, 
transverse bone, palatine and also often by pterygoid. Limbs 
present in our genera. ‘Pectoral and pelvic arches constantly 
present. Clavicle dilated and usually perforated proximally, 
interclavicle cruciform. Ossified abdominal ribs absent. Toes 
compressed, 5-5. Body protected by bony plates underlying 
scales which are cycloid-hexagonal, rarely rhomboidal, imbricate, 
arranged quincuncially. ‘These plates provided with symmetrical 
tubules. 
A large family with many genera and species in most parts 
of the world. 
Key to the genera. 
a. Palatine teeth present; 2 supranasal plates; lower eye-lid scaly. EUMECES 
aa. Palatine toothless; no supranasal plates; lower eye-lid with a transparent 
disk. LEIOLOPISMA 
