282 OFFICINAL SCINK. 



This animal was once in high estimation as an 

 article in the Materia Medica, and the flesh, par- 

 ticularly of the belly, was supposed to be diuretic, 

 alexipharmic, restorative, and useful in leprous 

 and many other cases; but whatever virtues it 

 may possess when used fresh, it is not considered 

 as of any importance when in its dried or imported 

 state, and while it continued to be used in practice 

 served only to increase the number of ingredients 

 in that curious remnant of what Dr. Lewis happily 

 terms the wild exuberance of medical superstition 

 in former ages, the celebrated Conjectio Damo- 

 cratis, or Mithridate. 



The Scink is described and figured by Mr. Bruce 

 under the name of El Adda, and is said to be ex- 

 tremely common in the province of Atbara, in 

 Abyssinia. 



" It burrows," says this author, " in the sand, 

 and performs this operation so quickly, that it is 

 out of sight in an instant, and appears rather to 

 have found a hole than to have made one, yet it 

 comes out often in the heat of the day, and basks 

 itself in the sun ; and if not very much frightened, 

 will take refuge behind stones, or in the withered, 

 raofo'ed roots of the absinthium, dried in the sun 



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to nearly its own colour. Its length is rather 

 more than six inches : though its legs are long, it 

 does not make use of them to stand upright, but 

 creeps with its belly almost close to the ground. 

 It runs, however, with very great celerity. It is 

 very long from its shoulder to its nose, being nearly 

 two inches : its body is round, having scarce any 



