220 SCINCI1XE. 



divided, in contact with the two anterior upper labials ; no post- 

 nasal ; 5 supraoculars, the three anterior in contact with the frontal ; 

 parietals entirely separated by the interparietal ; 4 or 5 pairs of 

 nuchals ; ear-opening rather large, with 4 or 5 long pointed lobules 

 anteriorly ; 2 azygos postmentals. 22 to 28 scales round the 

 middle of the body, perfectly smooth, the laterals smallest, those 

 of the two median dorsal series very broad and larger than the 

 ventrals. The length of the hind limb is contained 2^ to 3 times 

 in the length from snout to vent ; when pressed against the body 

 the limbs just meet or fail to meet. A series of transversely en- 

 larged subcaudals. Olive-grey or brownish above, uniform or 

 with irregular golden-yellow spots or longiludinal streaks; a 

 yellowish lateral streak, extendiug from below the eye to the hind 

 limb, is constant ; lower surfaces yellowish white. 



From snout to vent 6-5 inches ; tail 8. 



Hub. North-east Africa and Syria to Baluchistan. 



257. Eumeces blythianus. 



Mabouia blythiana, Ande>-s. P. A. S. B, 1871, p. 186. 



Eumeces blythianus, Theob. Cat. p. 66 ; Bouleng. Cut. Liz. iii, p. 385. 



This species, of which I have not seen examples, appears to be 

 very closely allied to the preceding. It has 30 scales round the 

 body, and the auricular lobules are strong. It also differs in the 

 presence of a single postmental. Olive-brown above ; three dark 

 brown longitudinal lines along the back, from the nape to the 

 base of the tail ; a broader dark brown band from the eye over 

 the tympanum, along the side ; a broad pale yellowish band below 

 it from below the eye to the groin ; lower surfaces yellowish. 



From snout to vent 3*5 inches ; tail 6. 



Hab. Amritsar, Punjab ? (the locality is doubtful, and the species 

 may not be Indian). 



Genus SCINCUS, 

 Lament!, Syn. Kept. p. 55, 1768. 



Palatine bones not meeting on the median line of the palate ; 

 pterygoids toothed. Lateral teeth conical or with obtuse tubercular 

 crowns. Eyelids well developed, scaly. Ear hidden or partly con- 

 cealed under an opercle. Nostril pierced between an upper and a 

 lower nasal ; supranasals present ; praefrontals, froutoparietals, and 

 interparietal distinct. Limbs well developed, pentadactyle ; digits 

 flattened, serrated laterally, with transverse lamellae beneath. 



This genus is restricted to the sandy deserts of North Africa 

 and South-western Asia, from the Sahara to Sind. Of the 8 species 

 one is peculiar to the last-named province. 



