30 
NATURAL HISTORY. [UPPER FLOOR, 
The Chamcesauridce (Case 5) have only rudimentary 
limbs, and all the scales of the body are elongate., keeled, 
and placed in longitudinal series. 
The family of Scincidce (Case 5) have a shielded head, 
like the true lizards, but the body, tail, and limbs are covered 
with uniform imbricate scales, which are generally smooth 
and polished. These have only a small plate on the end of 
the muzzle, and two distinct eyelids. The True Seines 
(.Scinci ) have four legs, with small margined toes, and 
a sharp edged muzzle, which enable them to bury them¬ 
selves with facility in the sand of the deserts they inhabit. 
The genus Sphcenops only differs from them in having simple 
toes and no ears. Others have blunt noses, a fusiform body 
with five toes to each of the four feet, and long conical 
tails ; as, Trachysauras, Egernia , Tiliqua. The first 
has large rugose bony scales, and a short depressed tail. 
The two latter have a conical tapering tail, and the second 
has spiny scales to the tail. The Lygosomci have very long 
slender bodies, and four very small, weak feet. The spe¬ 
cies of Seps are like the former, but have only three toes 
on each foot; and the Siaphos has the ears concealed un¬ 
der the skin. The Ophiodes are peculiar for having only 
two oblong lobes in the place of legs ; and the Blind- 
worms ( Angues) have only rudiments of legs quite con¬ 
cealed beneath the skin. 
The Gyrnnophthabnidce (Case 5) chiefly differ from the 
former in their eyes being always exposed, and destitute 
of any lid, like the serpents, as Microlepis, Ablepharis, 
Lerista. 
The Riiodomdce (Case 5) differ from the Seines in 
having a large, depressed, sharp edged rostral plate with 
the nostrils in its upper part. Their eyelids are rudiment¬ 
ary, as Rhodona and Soridia . 
In the Acontiadce (Case 5) the face and chin are each 
enclosed in a large cap-shaped shield; the upper one 
is pierced with the nostrils, which have a groove to its 
hinder edge. Their bodies are nearly cylindrical, with blunt 
tads, and the limbs are hidden under the skin. 
The remainder of the Saurian Reptiles have a short 
contractile tongue, slightly notched at the end. 
The Geckos, ( GecJcotidce , Case 4,) are nocturnal Lizards, 
having a dull, lurid appearance, with depressed heads, and 
