. Animate creation : popular edition of "Our living world" : a natural history. Zoology; Zoology. THE PYGOPUS. 57 Thk first family of this tribe is distinguished by tlie apparent absence of eyelids, those organs being only rudimentary and scarcely visible, so as to give to the eyes a superficiaJ resemblance to those of the serpents. On account of this peculiarity, the reptiles belonging to this family are termed the Gape-eyed Skinks. Their bodies are spindle-shaped, their tongues are scaly, nicked at the tip, their teeth are conical, and their limbs are four in number, and very feebl
. Animate creation : popular edition of "Our living world" : a natural history. Zoology; Zoology. THE PYGOPUS. 57 Thk first family of this tribe is distinguished by tlie apparent absence of eyelids, those organs being only rudimentary and scarcely visible, so as to give to the eyes a superficiaJ resemblance to those of the serpents. On account of this peculiarity, the reptiles belonging to this family are termed the Gape-eyed Skinks. Their bodies are spindle-shaped, their tongues are scaly, nicked at the tip, their teeth are conical, and their limbs are four in number, and very feeble. These creatures are found in various parts of the globe, but Australia seems to be their favorite home. The Pete, or Australian Tiliqua {Crytoblepharii,s houtonii), is a good example of the Gape-eyed Skinks, or Gymnophthalmidje, a long name derived from two Greek words signifying naked-eyed. As its name imports, this reptile is a native of Western Australia, but it is also found in other parts of the world, specimens having been taken in Timor and the Jlauritius. The color of the Pete is olive, sometimes with a wash of bronze, mottled Avith brown, and variegated with little black streaks. Sometimes there is a bright yellow streak on each side. Its eyelid is circular and scaly, and the three upper scales are the largest. The next family is well represented by the Pygopus, or New Holland Scheltopusio, a cui'ious reptile that inhabits VY0lOPV&.—I'ygopcui kpidopus. (Two-lliirds uutural sizi-.) This creature might easily be mistaken for the snake-like Lizard called the Scheltopusio, which has already been described on page 52, as the two fore-legs are entirely absent, and the hinder pair are veiy small, rudimentary, and set so closely against the body that they would escape a casual glance. They are flattish, covered with scales, and are not even divided into joints or toes, so that they are wholly useless for progression, the Pygopus creeping along after the or
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Keywords: ., bookauthorbr, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectzoology
