68 



THE SEPS, OR CICIGNA. 



soil light and moist. It is an active little creature, and moves from place to place with much 

 agility. In this reptile the tongue is rather large, covered with little scale-like papillae in 

 front, becoming more thread-like behind. The color is gray, with a bronzy lustre, and a black 

 streak runs along eacli side. 



The next- family of Lizards contains only one species, the Ophiomore {Ophiomorus 

 miUdris), and is separated from the skinks and the sej^sidse on account of a fonnation of the 

 scales of the head, which seems to place it in an intermediate position between those two 

 families. There are no external limbs, and the whole body and tail are long, cylindrical, 

 tapering, and sei-pentine in aspect. The color of the Ophiomore is brown above, covered with 

 numerous tiny black dots arranged in regular lines along the body, and being larger uj^on the 

 sides. The under parts are white, and the sides are gray. It is a native of Northern Africa, 

 and has been brought from Algiers. 



In the SEPSiDiE, a family which contains seven genera, there are always external limbs, 

 mostly four in number, but in one genus, Scelotes, the front pair of legs are wanting, and the 

 hinder jiair are small and divided at the extremity into two toes only. 









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SEPS, OK CICIGNA. *V/A< trlJaaylus. 



The typical species of this family is the common Seps, or Cicigna, a curious snake-like 

 Lizard, found in various parts of the world, and not uncommon in many portions of Europe. 

 Specimens have been taken in the south of France, in Italy, Sardinia, Syria, and the north of 

 Africa. The name of Seps is of Greek origin, and signifies corruption. From ancient times to 

 the present day, this harmless little reptile has been held in great dread by the natives of the 

 country wherein it dwells, being considered as a deadly enemy to cattle, biting them at night 

 during their sleej), and filling their veins with corruption. Horses, and especially mares, were 

 thought to be the most frequent sufferers from the bite of this reptile. 



The legs of the Seps are very weak, and are set far apart, so that the creature trusts but 

 little to the limbs for its powers of locomotion, and wriggles itself along after the fashion of 

 the snakes. The food of the Seps consists of worms, small snails, slugs, insects, spiders, and 

 similar creatures, its general habits seeming to resemble those of the blindworra. Like the 

 lizard, when the winter approaches, it burrows deeply in the loose soil, and remains hidden 

 until the succeeding spring. 



