208 SPECIES NOT 



of the same family, but in every case such a 

 gradation is adapted to the circumstances of ex- 

 istence of the animal. This is remarkably shewn 

 in the family of Scincoids, among existing Saurian 

 reptiles, which has been quoted by Agassiz, in 

 his valuable work on Classification, p. 65, et scq. 

 This family contains one hundred species, which 

 have been divided by Dumeril and Bibron into 

 thirty-one genera. Now it has been found that 

 there are forms living in Europe, Western Asia, 

 North Africa, and the Cape of Good Hope, which 

 have no legs. There are others at the Cape of 

 Good Hope with hind legs only, each leg having 

 a single toe; and these are likewise found in 

 South America, New Holland, and New Guinea. 

 There are still others, only found at the Cape of 

 Good Hope, which have two toes on each foot. 

 Then there are saurians of this family with four legs, 

 among which some having one toe on the fore foot, 

 and two on the hind foot, are from South Africa; 

 "those with two toes on the fore foot, and one 

 on the hind foot, live in the Philippine Islands; 

 those with two toes on all four feet, in New 

 Holland, and those with three toes to the hind 

 feet, and two to the fore feet, in Algiers and 

 New Holland. Those with * three toes to the fore 

 feet inhabit Europe, North Africa, and New 

 Holland; those with four toes to the fore feet 

 New Holland; with five toes to the fore feet, 

 and four to the hind feet, Bengal; and with 

 four toes to the fore feet, and five to the hind, 

 Africa, West Indies, Brazil, and New Holland. 



