Bkassy Lizakd.- REPTILES. Rump-foot Lizard. 17 
small families, containing several species, the habits of 
which are little known. They are for the most part 
very serpent -like in their form, and their legs are either 
very short, or even quite rudimentary. Such are — 
THE BRASSY LIZARDS {Chalcida) which have four 
legs that are only in a rudimentary state, the hinder 
feet in some not being even divided into distinct toes. 
Their body is elongate and cylindrical, and their ears 
are hidden under the skin. 
THE COMMOH BRASSY LIZARD ( Chalets flavescens) 
— fig. 6 — is about two and a half -inches long, and 
is a native of tropical America. The scales of the body 
form very distinct circular rings. The legs are only 
about a line in length, and the fore-feet are situated 
very near the head. Its colour is rather sombre, the 
prevailing tint being brassy — hence the name. 
Tribe II.— GEISSOSAURA.* 
This second tribe of slender-tongued Lizards con- 
tains eleven- families, and is numerous in species — not 
fewer than one hundred and eighty-three having been 
enumerated by Dr. Gray in his Catalogue. Formerly, 
they all entered into the great family of Scinks. 
In this tribe the scales of the body are rounded, 
quincuncial, that is, placed in a fivefold order, and 
disposed in an imbricate form, or like the tiles of a 
house, one overlapping the other, in this respect resem- 
bling the scales of the carp and some other fishes. The 
tongue is narrow, short, flat, and slightly nicked at the 
end. Body fusiform, or spindle-shaped, or somewhat 
cylindrical. 
Some of them are remarkable for having only very 
rudimentary eyelids, or these organs are wanting alto- 
gether, and the eyes are quite exposed. Others, and 
by far the greater number, have distinct eyelids, which 
can close over the eyes. 
• From the two Greek words, geiasm (i'amt), a tiled roof, 
and aaura a lizard. 
VoL. II. S9 
In the first group, or Naked-eyes, are the family 
of Gape-eyed Scinks {Gymnophthalmidce), which are 
distinguished by tlie eyelids, when present, being 
indistinct, circular, ring-like, and immovable. The 
ears are distinct. The limbs are four, but weak and 
unequal. 
THE AMERICIMA {Gymnophthalmus lineatus) is 
completely destitute of eyelids, and the front feet have 
only four toes, the hinder five. In general form this 
lizard, which is a native of Brazil, resembles very 
much our common viviparous lizard. It is of a brown- 
ish-green bronze colour, the sides being blackish, with 
a slight yellow streak above and below. 
The Ablepharus has the rudiments of eyelids, but 
they form merely a portion of a circle 
on the back part of the eye. 
THE HUHGARIAH ABLEPHAEHS 
(Ablepharus Pannonicus) has the 
body long and slender, and the feet 
sliort. It is of a coppery-green 
colour on the upper parts of the 
body, with a chestnut-coloured band 
on each side. The belly is of a 
yellowish-white. This lizard is found 
in very different parts of the world, 
being met with in Australia, in the 
Morea, and in Hungary, in which 
latter country it was first observed. 
The naturalists connected with the 
scientific expedition sent by tlie 
French Government to the Morea in 
1826, found it in considerable abun- 
dance amongst the ruins of Pylos, 
and in the neighbourhood of Nava- 
rino. “ This innocent and pretty 
little Saurian hides itself under stones, 
where it rolls itself up like an lulus, 
which it resembles in appearance, 
and in its polished steel colour.” It lives upon 
insects, such as beetles, gnats, and grubs. 
THE RUMP-FEET LIZARDS (Pygopidee) have rudi- 
mentary eyelids, but only two feet. 
THE COMMOH RUMP-FOOT (Pygopus lepidopodus), 
— Plate 1, fig. 4 — is a native of Australia, and resem- 
bles a serpent. There are no fore legs, and the two 
hinder ones are mere appendages, which look like small 
fins covered wfith scales, and seem to be in no way 
adapted for walking. They are placed far back on 
the trunk of the body, just at the commencement of 
the tail. The animal altogether resembles in form the 
smooth snake, and is of a coppery -gray colour, with 
several series of black spots and streaks on the side of 
the neck and body. 
Family.— SCINCIDHU. 
In the second group, that in which the eyes are 
covered, are the true Scinks (Scineidee), a large family 
containing forty-five distinct genera, and many species. 
They have regular distinct eyelids, which move up and 
down and cov er the eyes. The body is spindle-shaped, 
* From the two Greek -woria, gymnos {yuf^vas), naked, and 
ophthalmos [(xfSaKftss), the eye. 
Fig. 6. 
The Common Brassy Lizard (Chalcis flavescens). 
