180 SCINCIDJE. 



three minute granules between the first and second supraoculars ; a 

 small band-like posterior supraocular, separated from the others by 

 granules; interparietal pentagonal; no occipital; parietals forming 

 a suture behind the interparietal ; no enlarged scales on the outer 

 border of the parietals ; temporal scales granular, smooth ; no 

 auricular denticulation ; subocular not reaching the lip, resting on 

 the fifth, sixth, and seventh upper labials ; the three anterior pairs 

 of chin-shields in contact. Collar straight, the marginal scales 

 feebly enlarged. Dorsal scales minutely granular, smooth, equal. 

 Ventrals equilateral or longer than broad, in oblique longitudinal 

 series ; 35 transverse series, the longest of which contain about 

 20 plates. A very large preeanal plate, about twice as broad as 

 long. The adpressed hind limb reaches the posterior border of the 

 orbit ; foot as long as the distance between the arm and the 

 anterior loreal ; digits flattened, smooth or distinctly keeled 

 beneath, strongly fringed laterally ; the ungual lamellae much en- 

 larged, forming a suboval disk ; a series of large transverse subtibial 

 shields. 15-17 femoral pore?. Upper caudal scales feebly keeled. 

 Sand-coloured above, with blackish network ; head with symmetrical 

 black markings ; lower surfaces white. 



From snout to vent 1'3 inches (young). 



Hob. A single specimen was obtained betweeu Nushki and the 

 Helmand, in Northern Baluchistan. 



Family VII. SCINCIOE. 



Skull with bony postorbital and postfronto-squarnosal arches ; 

 prsemaxillaries distinct ; nasals distinct ; parietal single ; a fibro- 

 cartilaginous interorbital septum ; a columella cranii. Skull with 

 bony dermal plates, roofing over the supratemporal fossae. Dentition 

 pleurodont. Clavicle dilated, usually perforated proximally ; inter- 

 clavicle unciform. Tongue flat, bifid behind, nicked in front, covered 

 with rhomboidal scale-like papilte. Limbs more or less developed, 

 or absent. Tail usually long, fragile. Pupil round. No femoral 

 pores. Body protected by bony plates underlying the scales, which 

 are cycloid-hexagonal, rhomboidal, imbricate, arranged quincun- 

 cially ; the bony plates provided with symmetrical tubules, which 

 usually consist of a transverse one anastomosing with several 

 longitudinal ones, 



Scincoids are cosmopolitan, the bulk occurring in Australia, the 

 islands of the Pacific, the East Indies, and Africa. They are, as 

 far as we know, ovoviviparous, with the exception of Mabuia 

 macularia, which, according to Theobald, is oviparous. 



This family includes terrestrial and arboreal forms. The limbs are 

 often rudimentary or absent, but there is every possible gradation 

 in their development ; series of species united in one genus often 

 showing a complete passage from a well-developed pentadactyle 

 limb to a rudiment not distinguishable externally. 



