THE 
OFFICINAL SCINK. 
GENERIC CHARACTER. 
Body elongated, four-footed, tailed ; without 
any secondary integument. 
SPECIFIC CHARACTER, ^c. 
Yellowish-brown Lizard, with transverse brown 
bands on the upper part, short tail with 
compressed tip, and upper jaw longer than 
the lower. 
The Common or Officinri Scink. 
The Common or Officinrl Scink is a native of many 
of the Eastern part of the world, and is common in 
Egypt, Arabia, Lybia, and Syria. It is usua-iiy found 
in dry sandy soils, and grows to the length of seven, 
eight, or even ten inches : the whole animal is of a 
pale yellowish-bro. a colour, marked by several broad, 
distant, transverse dusky stripes or bands, and is 
covered with middle-sizv^d fish-like scales of a smooth 
and glossy surface. I t is an animal of a harmless na- 
ture, and supports itself on the various insects which 
wander about the regions it inhabits. The Scink was 
jonce celebrated for its medicinal powers in various dis- 
orders ; but the more illuminated cast of modern prac- 
tice seems to have utterly exploded these imaginary 
virtues. 
