578 



THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 



be handled as freely as the majority of the members of its tribe; when biting, moreover, 

 it has a tendency to fasten itself upon the object seized with bulldog-like tenacity, a grip 

 from a powerful-jawed old male being a somewhat unpleasant experience. In addition to 

 insects the ocellated lizard will prey upon any other small animals it can overpower, including 

 the members of its own species ; it is consequently not safe to entrust it in the company of 

 other lizards of less size and strength. 



The Skink Family, which next invites attention, contains no less than 400 known species, 

 and, climatic conditions being favourable, enjoys an almost cosmopolitan distribution. The 

 majcnity of its members have stoutish cylindrical bodies, with relatively short limbs and tail; 

 the legs are sometimes reduced to two only, or altogether aborted, giving the animal a snake- 

 like form. 



The Common or " Medicinal" Skink — so called since it was regarded in the Middle Ages 

 as an infallible medicinal nostrum — -is an inhabitant of North Africa, and notable for its 

 adaptation to a sand-burrowing existence. The body is short, cylindrical, exceedingly smooth 

 through the close apposition of the minute surface-scales, and sharply conical at each extremity. 

 The well-developed toes of all four feet are flattened and serrated at their edges in such 

 a manner that they constitute most elTective burrowing-tools in the loose sand these lizards 

 frequent. The length of this skink rarel}^ exceeds 3 or 4 inches. Its colour is rather 



exceptional for a lizard, but at the same time in keep- 

 ing with its predominating subterranean habits. The 

 ground-tint in the living examples in the writer's posses- 

 sion, one of which is photographed on page 579, was a 

 light yellowish-white, like that of old polished ivory, 

 with here and there a pale flesh-pink tinge. On the 

 under-surface this light tint was persistent, while the 

 back was traversed by some twelve broadish bands of 

 pale slate-grey. The skink does not, like the mole and 

 the Amphisbaenas, obtain its food from subterranean 

 ' sources. It comes out to bask on the surface 

 of the sand when the sun is at its height, 

 and keeps a brisk look-out for flies or 

 other insects, which, if they approach suffi- 

 ciently near, are pounced upon with remark- 

 able agility. Should the sky become overcast 

 or any cause for alarm manifest itself, the 

 skink disappears beneath the sand as though 

 by magic, not infrequently burrowing down to 

 a depth of several feet. Even at the present 

 day the skink is esteemed by the Arabs both 

 for medicine and food, and in the latter associa- 

 tion, well broiled, has won the commendation 

 of European palates. 



One of the most bizarre members of the 

 Skink Family hails from Australia, where it 

 is known as the Stump-tailed Lizard. The 

 most remarkable feature in this form is the 

 shortness and roundness of the caudal appen- 

 dage, the contour and proportions of which, 

 in fact, so nearly correspond with those of the 

 head that it was originally described by its 

 discoverer, Captain William Dampier, just over 

 three centuries ago, as a double-headed animal. 



Pht:c hy IV. SavlU,-Ken:, F.Z.S. 



RONTGEN RAY PHOTOGRAPH OF 

 OCELLATED LIZARD 



The remarkable length and slendernesi of the bona of the hind feet are 

 ivell illustrated by thli photograph 



