424 SKINKS. 
subject, has remarked that the eggs are probably laid for a considerable 
period before the young are hatched from them. 
A SECOND tribe of Lizards now comes before our notice. These are the 
GEISSOSAURI, a title derived from two Greek words, the former signifying 
“the eaves of a house,” and the latter.‘-a lizard.” As in this tribe there are 
many families, and more than eighty genera, it will be impossible to give more 
than a very slight account of these reptiles, or even to mention more than a 
small number selected as types of the large or small groups which they 
represent. 4 
THE large and important family of the SKINKS contains between forty and 
fifty genera, nearly each of which possesses one or more species, concerning 
which there is something worthy of notice. 
This family finds a far: iliar representative in the common BLINDWoRM, or 
SLOW-WoRM, of England, which, frora its snake-like form and extreme 
fragility, might well deserve the title of the English Glass Snake. In this 
repule there is no external trace of limbs, the body being uniformly smooth 
BLINDWORM.—(Anguis fragilis.) 
as that of a serpent, and even more so than in some of the snakes, where the 
presence of the hinder pair of limbs is indicated by a couple of little hook- 
like appendages. Under the skin, however, the traces of limbs may be dis- 
covered, but the bones of the shoulders, the breast, and the pelvis are very 
small and quite rudimentary. 
Th’s elegant little reptile is very common throughout England, and is 
spread over the greater part of Europe and portions of Asia, not, however, 
being found in the extreme north of Europe. In this country it is plentiful 
along hedge-rows, heaths, forest lands, and similar situations, where it can 
find immediate shelter from its few enemies, and be abundantly supplied 
with food. It may often be seen crawling leisurely over a beaten footpath, 
and I have once captured it while crossing a wide turnpike road near Oxford. 
Why the name of the Blindworm should have been given to this creature I 
cannot even conjecture, for it has a pair of conspicuous though not very large 
eyes, which shine as brightly as those of any animal, and are capable of good 
service. Indeed, all animals which prey upon insects and similar mv ng 
things must of necessity possess well-developed eyes, unless they are gifted 
