26 NATURAL HISTORY. [UPPER FLOOR. 
scales. Some have four distinct, moderately long legs, 
and exposed ears. The African Lizards of this group 
are distinguished by their thighs being marked with a 
line of pores on the under side. In Zonurus , the tail is 
furnished with spinose scales; in the Cicigna these scales 
are smooth. The American species, ( Gerrhonotus ,) on the 
contrary, have no glands under the thighs, and the scales 
of the tail are smooth. The Scheltopusiks ( Pseudopi ) 
of Europe, have only rudiments of legs, in the form of 
undivided lobes, placed on the side of the vent; and the 
Glass Snakes of J^orth America ( Ophisauri ) are quite des¬ 
titute of legs : all the species of these genera have the 
drum of the ear exposed. 
The CercosauridcE (Case 3) are long cylindrical rep¬ 
tiles, with rounded sides, covered like their backs with 
square scales placed in cross series. The scales of the 
tail are keeled, and placed in longitudinal series, as Cer- 
cosaurus, while in the next family ( Chirocolidce ) the scales 
of the tail are placed in rings alternating with each other. 
The family of Chamcesauridce (Case 5) have only rudi¬ 
mentary limbs, and all the scales of the body are elongate, 
keeled, and placed in longitudinal series. 
The family of Seines ( Scincidce , Case 5) have a shielded 
head, like the true lizards, but the body, tail, and limbs are 
covered with uniform overlapping scales, which are gene¬ 
rally 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 themselves with facility in the sand of the deserts 
they inhabit. The gem s Sphcenops only differs from them 
in having simple toes and no apparent ears. Others have 
blunt noses, a spindle-shaped body with live toes to each 
of the four feet, as Trachysaurus , 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 Lygosoma 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 ; the Ronia has only 
