156 



CLASSIFICATION OF REPTILES. 



tween Hydrosaures and Leiolepis, but we suspect that 

 it will be composed of several of the sub-genera, which, 

 at present^ we have placed provisionally among the 

 AgainidcE. 



(158.) The SciN coid^, the skinks . or the serpent-lizards 

 — ■ the sixth and last family — are so called from their 

 general resemblance to snakes, with which, in fact, the fa- 

 mily is absolutely blended. They are immediately known 

 by their very short feet, by their lengthened boc^y and tail, 

 and by being, for the most part, covered with serpent- 

 like scales : the head is small and smooth, and the tongue 

 is not capable of extension. As this is the group by 

 which nature blends the lizards with the serpents, the 

 feet, as being the principal mark of distinction between 

 the two tribes, are subject to considerable variation in 

 the minor groups : they are generally four, but some- 

 times only two ; and even these frequently appear more 

 as appendages than as perfect members. The scales are 

 shining and imbricated ; that is, laying one upon the 

 other in the manner of tiles upon a roof. Besides, the 

 palpable affinity which these reptiles bear to the slow- 

 worms, or Anguid(F, is obvious to every one : and finally, 

 the jaws are provided with a row of small and crowded 

 teeth ; but all these characters are subject to much va- 

 riation, and several of them disappear, or assume new 

 modifications in the minor groups. The common skink 

 (Scincus officinalis) may be taken as a type well calcu- 

 lated to give the reader a tolerable idea of the whole fa- 

 mily. As no general description, however, will give an 

 accurate notion of the wonderful manner in which na- 

 ture has advanced from the lizards to the serpents, we 

 shall enter into some of the details of the five principal 

 groups into which, with Cuvier^ we have arranged 

 these reptiles; namely, — 1. Scincus ; 2. Sepn; S.Bipes; 

 4. Chalcides ; and 5. Chirotes. 



(159.) The first is the genus Scincus^ or the gaUey- 

 wasps of the "West Indies. They have four short but 

 strong feet : the body is almost of equal length with the 

 tail : the head and throat are not swelled, nor is the former 



