APPENDIX C. — REPTILES. 849 



lower surface of the head alone seem not subjected to any serial 

 order. 



Possessing only specimens that have been immersed in alcohol, 

 and therefore have lost their general hue, we can only, in allusion 

 to the colour, remark that the upper part of body and tail have 

 transverse and irregular, sometimes undulating, and sometimes 

 angularly broken bands of deep brown or black. Ten of these 

 bands belong to the body from the occiput to the origin of the tail. 

 On the tail itself they extend more or less toward the tip, accord- 

 ing to the size of the specimen. 



This species inhabits Oregon, about the Dalles of the Colum- 

 bia River, where it has been collected by Rev. George Geary. A 

 specimen in our possession, from California, was collected by 

 Colonel Fremont. That which is represented on our plate we owe 

 to the kindness of Dr. Avery J. Skilton. 



Plestiodon skiltonianum, Baird and Girard. 



Pl. IV. Fig. 4-6. 



Spec. char. — Head small, continuous witli the body ; tail stout, very long, and 

 subquadrangular ; olivaceous brown, with four broad bands of black. 



This is a species of skink which must strike any one familiar 

 with the general appearance of the other species of the same 

 genus inhabiting North America. The tail, although considerably 

 developed in all the skinks of the genus Plestiodon^ acquires in 

 this species much greater proportions. In the specimen figured, 

 the tip of that organ is wanting, but when restored, the whole 

 organ would be nearly twice the length of the rest of the body and 

 head. Its form is rather subquadrangular than conical, and pre- 

 serves a general stoutness which is not seen in the other species, 

 in which it tapers more suddenly from its origin to its tip. The 

 body is subcylindrical, and nearly of the same thickness from the 

 occiput to the tail, into which it passes almost imperceptibly. The 

 head itself is rather small, subcorneal, rounded on the snout ; it is 

 continuous with the body, the neck being but slightly contracted. 

 The plates of its upper surface are represented in figure 6, which 

 will serve as a good term for comparison with the other species. 

 The locomotive members are very short ; the fore ones rather 

 slender, the hind ones stouter. The toes are terminated by deli- 

 cate and slender nails, curved at their tip. The scales have a 

 very smooth appearance ; when examined attentively, those of the 



