56 THE COMMON SKINK. 



body that they would escape a casual glance. They are flattish, covered with scales, and 

 are not even divided into joints or toes, so that they are wholly useless for progression, 

 the Pygopus creeping along after the ordinary fashion of snakes. 



If the creature be turned on its back, a curious arrangement of scales is seen. Between 

 the bases of the lower limbs, several large shield-like scales are seen, and just above them 

 is a row of rather long and arched scales, extending in a semicircular form from one limb 

 to the other, and looking much like the stones that are set upon the summit of an 

 arched doorway. Each of these scales is pierced with a circular pore, so that the general 

 effect is very striking. The whole body of this reptile is very long in proportion to its 

 width, and it has altogether a very serpentine aspect. 



The head of the Pygopus is rather short, and is covered above with some rather large 

 shields, that upon the top of the head being equal to any two others in size. The scales 

 of the back are keeled, and its color is coppery gray, with five rows of rather oblong 

 white spots with black centres, and a few black streaks drawn obliquely upon the sides 

 of the neck. 



The DELMA (Delma Fraseri) is very like the pygopus, but may be distinguished from 

 it by the scales of the back, which are smooth and without keels, by the shorter hinder 

 limbs, the absence of the pores, and the elliptical shape of the pupil of the eye, that of 

 the pygopus being circular. 



Two more small families of reptiles are worthy of a passing notice. The first is that 

 which is represented by a single species, the APRASIA (Aprasia puhhella) are remark- 

 able for being destitute of limbs, and having none of the pores which have just been 

 mentioned. The body is lengthened, and covered with six-sided scales on the upper sur- 

 face and flanks. The scales are quite smooth, and their color is pale brown, with a dot 

 of dark hue in the centre of each scale, giving a sort of variegated aspect. Along the 

 flanks these dots become longer, so that they almost join each other, and form imperfect 

 streaks on the sides. The lips are yellow. This reptile inhabits Western Australia. 



THE next family only contains one genus, which, like the preceding creature, inhabits 

 Australia. In these reptiles the head is long and flattened, the pupil of the eye elliptical 

 and upright, the scales are oval, smooth, and overlap each other, and the curious pores 

 are present, each set in the front edge of a scale. BURTON'S LIALIS (Lialis Burtoni) may 

 be taken as an example of this family. The color is olive above, with five imperfect 

 brown streaks, and gray below, with large whitish spot. 



THE large and important family of the Skinks contains between forty and fifty genera, 

 nearly each of which possesses one or more species, concerning which there is something 

 worthy of notice. In these reptiles the head is rather squared than rounded, and covered 

 regularly with horny shields. The body is mostly spindle-shaped, though sometimes of 

 a cylindrical form, and very much elongated, in which case the legs are generally rudi- 

 mentary, and sometimes altogether wanting externally. Our common blindworm is a 

 familiar example of this structure. The tail suits the form of the body, being cylindrical 

 in the long-bodied species, and tapering in those of a more spindle-like shape. 



The genus in which the COMMON, or OFFICINAL SKINK is placed, is now so restricted, 

 that it only contains a single species ; but in the earlier times of zoological science, its 

 rules were so greatly relaxed, that many species were admitted within its limits. 



In this genus the muzzle is wedge-shaped, the scales are thin and smooth, and the tail 

 conical and pointed. The toes are rather flattened, and fringed on the side. The eyes arc 

 guarded by distinct eyelids, the lower of which is covered with scales. The palate is 

 furnished with teeth, and has a longitudinal groove, and the ears are small, and toothed 

 in front. There are four short and rather stout limbs, tolerably strong, and enabling the 

 creature to make its escape from its enemies by rapidly sinking below the s.indy soil i :i 

 which it is usually found. 



The Skink is a native of Northern Africa, and is very common in some local. lie ; 



