281 



Scinks, with round jish-Uke scales. 



OFFICINAL SCIXK. 



Lacerta Scincus. L. fusco-Jlazescens, supra fascus tranftersit 



fuscis, can da breri apice compressa, maxilla superior e longiore. 

 Yellowish-brown Lizard, with transverse brown bands on the 



upper part, short tail with compressed tip, and upper jaw 



longer than the lower. 

 Lacerta Scincus. L. cauda tercti mediocri apice compressa, di- 



gitis mutkis marguiatis. Lin. Syst. Nat. p. 360. 

 Scincus. Raj. Quadr. 271. 

 Scincus major. Besl. Fascic. Rarior. t. 2.f. 1. 

 The Common or Officinal Scink. 



THE Scink is one of the middle-sized or smaller 

 lizards, and is a native of many of the eastern 

 parts of the world. It abounds in Lybia, Syria, 

 Egypt, and Arabia, frequenting moderately dry 

 and sandy soils, and growing to the length of six 

 or seven inches, or even sometimes more. The 

 head of the Scink is rather small than large, the 

 body thick and round, and the tail in general con- 

 siderably shorter than the body. The whole ani- 

 mal is of a pale yellowish brown colour, with a 

 few broad, dusky, transverse undulations or zones, 

 and is uniformly covered with moderately large or 

 fish-like scales, lying extremely close and smooth, 

 so that the surface has a glossy or oily appearance. 

 It is an animal of harmless manners, and, like 

 most other lizards, supports itself on the various 

 insects which wander about the regions it in- 

 habits. 



