4o6 DESCRIPTION OF THE MUSEUM. 



them are in the collection, some from the 

 south of Europe and from Africa, others from 

 the East Indies. The European species is nearly 

 a foot long, whilst that of the Cape is very small, 

 and the Molucca species has two long promi- 

 nences on the muzzle. 



The scinks, which are the last in the order of 

 the saurians, have very short legs, their body 

 shaped as a spindle, is covered with fish-like 

 scales, and has no contraction at the head and 

 tail. The family of the scinks, of which there 

 are forty-five species in the collection, is very 

 numerous, and inhabits the warm countries of 

 both continents. It has been distributed accord- 

 ing to the number and situation of their feet into 

 five genera : the scinks proper, the seps, the two- 

 footed scinks, the chalcides, and the scinks with 

 two hands. 



The Nubian and Abyssinian, or common offici- 

 nal scink, is celebrated for the quickness with 

 which it burrows in the sand to conceal itself 

 from its pursuers, and also for its medicinal 

 powers. It was long employed as a specific 

 remedy for restoring the enfeebled vital func- 

 tions, and enters into the compound medicine 

 known by the name of theriaca. The species of 

 scink found in the \Vest India islands is more 

 than a foot long, and is as thick as the arm ; the 



