SCINCIDJE. LXXIV. 171 



silvery; length 6 to 9 inches. S. E. Va. to Ills, and 

 Mexico. 



FAMILY LXXIV. SCINCID^E. 



(The Skinks.) 



Head subquadrangular; regularly shielded; body fusi- 

 form or subcylindrical, often with longitudinal stripes; 

 limbs 4, various. Genera 50; species 150; in most parts 

 of the world. 



* Ear large; its front edge dentate ; lower eye -lid scaly. 



EUMECES, 1. 



** Ear very large, circular, its front edge rounded; lower eye -lid 

 with a transparent disk OLIGOSOMA, 2. 



/. EUMECES, Wiegmann. BLUE TAILS. 



= Plestiodon, Auct. 



1. E. fasc/'atus, (L.) BLUE-TAILED LIZARD. Blackish, 

 with fine yellowish streaks, middle one forked on the 

 head; tail mostly blue; old specimens sometimes red- 

 dish olive, obscurely striped; head reddish; L. 8 to 11. 

 U. S., E. of the Rocky Mts.; abundant S.; very variable. 



2. . septenfriona/is, (Baird) Cope. NORTHERN SKINK. 

 Olive, with four dark stripes above; sides with two 

 narrow white lines margined on each side with black. 

 Minnesota to Nebraska. 



3. E. anthracinus, (Baird) Cope. COAL SKINK. 

 Black (?). Alleganies, from Penn. S. 



2. OLIGOSOMA, Girard. Mocos. 



1. 0. laterals, (Say.) Grd. GROUND LIZARD. Chest- 

 nut color; on each side a black lateral band, edged with 

 white; abdomen yellowish; tail blue below; head short; 

 small and slender; L. 5. Southern States, abundant; N. 

 to Illinois. (Nelson.) 



