ACONTIAS. 227 



which is toothless. Teeth conical. Eye small, with transparent 

 lower eyelid ; upper eyelid not developed. Ear hidden or just dis- 

 tinguishable. Nostril pierced in the large rostral shield, with the 



Fig. 63. Upper and side views of head of Acontias layardii. 



posterior border of which it is connected by a long straight hori- 

 zontal suture ; no supranasals ; no prsefrontals or frontoparietals. 

 Body much elongate ; limbs rudimentary or absent. 



Distribution. South Africa, Madagascar, Ceylon. 9 species are 

 known. 



Synopsis of Ceylonese Species. 



A. luterpavietal broader than the frontal. 



a. Limbs present, tridactyle A. burtonii, p. 227. 



b. Limbs present, bud-like A. monodactylus, p. 228. 



c. Limbs absent A. layardii, p. 228. 



B. Intel-parietal narrower than the frontal ; 



bud-like rudiments of hind limbs A. sarasinorutn, p. 228. 



265. Acontias burtonii. 



Nessia burtonii, Gray, Ann. N. H. ii, 1839, p. l>36 ; Kelaart, Prodi'. 



ii, p. 11 ; Giinth. Rept. B. I. p. 97 ; Theob. Cat. p. 68. 

 Acontias burtonii, Eoulcng. Cat. Liz. iii, p. 425. 



Head conical ; snout long, pointed, projecting ; ear-opening dis- 

 tinct, minute ; rostral covering about one-third of the snout ; mental 

 moderate ; frontonasal longer than the rostral and slightly shorter 

 than the frontal ; the latter shield about as broad as long, angularly 

 emarginate on each side by the first supraocular ; 4 supraoculars ; 

 supraciliaries ; interparietal nearly as long as the frontal and a 

 little broader ; parietals narrow ; loreal and first upper labial very 

 long, much longer than the rostral ; second labial entering the 

 orbit. 24 scales round the middle of the body, equal. Both pairs 

 of limbs present, minute, tridactyle, clawed. Praeanal scales not 

 or scarcely enlarged. Length of the tail contained about 1| times 

 in that of the head and body. Brown, lighter beneath, each scale 

 edged with darker. 



From snout to vent 3 inches ; tail 1*8. 



Hob. Ceylon. 



