949. ZOOLOGY. 
serpents. By this character the Scincid@ are distinguishable from the other. 
Saurians, excepting the Chalcidide and Lacertide. The rest of the body is 
covered by imbricated and smooth scales, with rounded margins arranged 
in quincunx, much as in fishes: those of the belly and sides are nearly of 
the same shape and size as those of the back. By this latter feature they 
are (distinguishable from the Lacertidz, in which the ventral scales are 
much larger than the dorsal, with the outlines angular. The absence of a 
furrow or lateral fold of skin, extending along the fianks, as also the imbri- 
cated or mailed scales, separates them from the Chalcidide. The spines 
and crests of other Saurians are never found in this family. The tongue is 
free, broad, not playing in a sheath, and slightly emarginate anteriorly. It 
is fleshy, and usually covered with papillee; sometimes with scales, or filiform: 
appendages. 
The Scincide are variously distributed throughout the world. The largest 
number of species is found in Australia, then Asia, next Africa, and finally 
America. Europe counts but six species. Five species are found in the 
United States. | 
The family may conveniently be divided into three sub-families, according to 
certain peculiarities about the eyes. 
Sub. Fam. Saurophthalmoi. Tiis seetion is known by the possession 
of movable eyelids, which, as in most air-breathing vertebrata, can come 
together so as completely to cover the eye. Most of the species are provided 
with four feet; some, however, have but two, while others again appear to 
be entirely deprived of these appendages. None of them appear to have 
inguinal or femoral pores. The lowest form of the Saurophthalmian Scinks 
is presented in the genus Acontias, but one species of which, A. meleagris, 
a native of South Africa, is known to naturalists. With a striking resem- 
blance to a serpent, in the absence of feet and of a tympanic orifice, it has 
most of the characters of the Scincidee. ‘The eyes are very minute, and there 
is but a single (inferior) eyelid. Another genus, Ophiomorus, resembling 
the last, is found in Southern Europe. The best known representative of the 
apodal scinks is the blind or slow werm, Anguis fragilis (pl. T4, fig. 63, and 
pl. 87, fig. 1). This beautiful animal is found in various parts of Europe, 
making its appearance early in the spring, and retiring to winter quarters 
about October. Its food consists principally of slugs and earth-worms. About 
the end of August the female lays 8 to 16 eggs, from which the young escape 
very shortly after their deposit, development having proceeded for a considera- 
ble time in the oviduct. ‘I'he animal is perfectly innocuous, and never makes 
any attempt to bite. 
In the genera Ophiodes, Soridia, and Scelotes, we have the first external 
indications of feet, in the form of two feeble posterior extremities, which exhibit 
a division into toes in the latter genus only. The first of these is South 
American, the two last South African. 
Anterior extremities first present themselves in the genus E'vesia, where, 
however. with the hind feet, they exist as mere stumps without any toes. 
In Nessia, each foot, although still very rudimentary, is terminated by three 
nearly equal toes, provided with claws. Brachystopus, a South African 
476 
