CHAPTER XXIII: THE SKINKS OR SMOOTH- 

 SCALED LIZARDS 



FAMILY SCINCID/E 



Small, Glossy-scaled Lizards of a Large Family, Represented in 

 North America by Two Genera and Fifteen Species 



Classification and Distribution. The Scincidce is one of the 

 largest families of the lizards and its members occur abundantly 

 in both the Eastern and the Western Hemispheres. The largest 

 number of species inhabit the Old World. The family is richly 

 represented in Australia. 



The Skinks are of small or moderate size and usually have 

 smooth generally shining scales. The scalation is quite hard 

 as the scales cover bony plates. 



Like the Anguidce, the Skinks present interesting phases 

 of evolution. Most of the species have short limbs but are agile 

 runners; others are serpent-like in body and have extremely 

 minute limbs with which they drag the body when progressing 

 leisurely, but in time of danger fold them against the sides and 

 glide away like a snake; some have a minute pair of forelimbs 

 only, and a few have but a pair of useless hind limbs. A num- 

 ber are limbless and snake-like. 



The North American species have well-developed limbs 

 and are very agile. Two genera are represented in the United 

 States, namely: Eumeces, with fourteen species, and a single 

 species of Lygosoma. All of these species are of small or very 

 moderate size, with smooth, shining scales. Their glossy aspect 

 at once distinguishes them from other lizards. Of the two 

 genera, Eumeces is the smaller; it contains about thirty species, 

 the majority inhabiting the New World: the others are found 

 in Africa and Asia. Lygosoma is a large genus, containing over 

 1 60 species; these are generally distributed throughout the 

 temperate and tropical portions of the globe and among them 



