288 CLASS xv. 



Amphiglossus DUM. and BIBR. Snout conical. Tongue smooth 

 anteriorly, posteriorly beset with papillae scaly, imbricate, reversed. 

 Scales smooth. 



Diploglossus WIEGM. Snout conical. Anterior part of tongue 

 covered with scales, posterior with filiform papillae. Scales marked 

 with several exsert striae. 



Sp. Scincus fossor MERR., Diploglossus Shawii DUM., Qallywasp BROWNE, 

 Jamaica (and SLOANE Voy. to Jamaica, Tab. 273, fig. 9?); a very large 

 species from the West Indies; Scincus Houttuynii, Diploglossus Houttuynii 

 COOT., Cuv. R. Ani., &d. ill., Rept. PL 21, fig. 2. Euprepes fasciata 

 KEUSS, Mus. Senckeriberg. i. Tab. 3, fig. 2 ; Brasil. 



Sphenops WAGL. Snout cuneiform, upper jaw with flat margin 

 exsert beyond the lower. Feet small, distant, anterior with short 

 toes. Scales smooth. Tail long. 



Sp. Scincus capistratus SCHREIB., Scincus sepsoides AUD., SEBA Thes. n. Tab. 

 12, fig. 6? DUM. Erpe'tol. v. PL 57, fig. 3, (figure of head); Egypt. 



b) With toes depressed, serrate at the margin. 



Scincus FITZ., DUM. and BIBR, Snout cuneiform; upper jaw 

 produced beyond lower, with margin acute. Teeth in palate. Tail 

 short, thick at the base, conical, acuminate. Scales smooth. 



Scincus officinalis LAUR., Lacerta scincus L., LAC. Quadr. ovip. et Scrp. I. 

 PL 23, BLUMENB. Abb. naturh. Gegenst. No. 87, BRANDT u. RATZEB. 

 Mediz. Zool. I. Tab. 19, fig. 2 ; the Seine. This species lives in Egypt and 

 some other countries of Africa; when in danger it endeavours to bury 

 itself quickly in the sand. This little animal is used by the Orientals as a 

 special excitant (aphrodisiacum). The Scincus of the ancients, on which 

 compare PLINIUS (Hist. not. Lib. 28, c. 8), was, according to PROSPER 

 ALPINUS, an entirely different animal, probably a monitor, as CUVIER also 

 supposes. In the time of GESNER water-salamanders also were sold in 

 place of seines; C. GESNERI Hist. Anini. Lib. n. p. 24. 



Cyclodus WAGL. Four short feet, subequal, pentadactylous, 

 with toes round. Tongue emarginate, covered with scaly papillae. 

 Eyelids mobile. Teeth rounded at the apex, posteriorly subglo- 

 bose. Palate edentulous. Head flat, distinct from trunk by stric- 

 ture. Nostrils in nasal scute, mostly furnished with a bent groove 

 behind the aperture. Oblique chink of auditory meatus, situated 

 behind the angle of mouth. Scales large. Tail shorter than 

 trunk. 



Sp. Cyclodus Boddaertii DUM. and BIBR., Scincus gigas BODDAERT, Nov. Act. 

 Acad. not. curios, vn. p. 5, WHITE Journal of a Voy. to New South Wales, 

 p. 242, PL 30 ; New Holland and Amboyna. 



