SCINCUS OFFICINALIS, 203 



nose wedge-shaped, truncated ; four paws, each with five 

 toes, of nearly equal length, flattened and serrated on their 

 edges ; the sides of the body angular below ; tail conical, 

 pointed ; eyelids moveable. Only one species known. 



Scincus officinalis. 



Scincus officinalis, Dum. et Bib. vol. v. p. 564 ; Sohinz, Europ. Faun. 

 vol. ii. p. 31. 



Description. — Nostrils small, distinctly lateral ; the head 

 contracted towards the muzzle, the edges of which are 

 sharp, with the angle rounded ; there is no occipital plate ; 

 the total size is about that of the Common Green Lizard, 

 but the body is much thicker and fusiform; the limbs 

 short and stout ; the tail short, being scarcely longer than 

 the body, very thick at its origin, small, pointed, and 

 slightly compressed towards the tip ; the ear-openings 

 are oblique, small, placed near the corners of the mouth, 

 notched or toothed on their anterior border ; upper eyelid 

 very short, lower much developed, with a row of three or 

 four scales, beneath which is an irregular pavement of very 

 minute scales ; the fore-paws reach as far as the anterior 

 angle of the eye. The upper surface of the body and tail 

 is tawny, yellowish, or brown, sometimes silvery grey ; 

 there are often five or six broad white bands across the 

 back; the lower parts of the body and tail are always 

 silvery white, more or less pure. 



This reptile has long been considered by the natives of 

 the countries where it is found, as well as in other parts of 

 Europe, to have valuable medicinal qualities, principally 

 efficacious in restoring to the body its lost vigour. 



Entire length, 11 inches. 



The authors of the ' Erpetologie Generale ' do not record 

 any European habitat ; Schinz, however, says that it has 

 been found in Greece, where he thinks it may have been 



