OPHIDIA. 53 



Pallas has described a species of the south of Russia, which 

 is also found in Hungary, and in Dalmatia; the P. Pallasii, Nob.; 

 Lacerta apoda, Pall. Nov. Com, Petrop. XIX, pi. ix, f. 1; from 

 twelve inches to two feet in length; scales on the back smooth; 

 those on the tail carinated. 



M. Durville has discovered another in the Archipelago, Ps. 

 Durvillii, Nob., whose dorsal scales are rough and carinate like 

 those on the tail. The 



Ophisaxjrus, Daud.(l) 



Only differs from the preceding subgenus in the entire deficiency 

 of any external appearance of posterior extremities; the tympanum, 

 however, is still visible, and the scales also form a fold on each side 

 of the body. The small lung is one third as large as the other. 



The most anciently known species, Oph. ventralis; Sng. ven- 

 tralis^ L., Catesb. II, lix, is common in the United States. It 

 is of a yellowish-green, spotted with black above; the tail longer 

 than the body; so easily broken that it is commonly termed the 

 Glass-Snake. (2) 



Anguis, Cuv. 



No external appearance whatever of an extremity; the tympanum 

 even being concealed under the skin; the maxillary teeth compressed 

 and hooked, but none in the palate. The body is surrounded with 

 imbricated scales, but has no fold on the side. One of the lungs half 

 the size of the other. 



One species is very common throughout Europe; Anguis fra- 

 gilis, L. ; Lacep. II, xix, 1, which has very smooth, shining 

 scales, silvery yellow above and blackish beneath; three black 

 lines along the back, which change by age into various series of 

 points, and finally disappear. Its tail is as long as the body, the 

 whole animal being a foot and some inches; it feeds on lumbrici 

 and insects, and produces its young living.(3) 

 These three genera still have an imperfect pelvis, a small ster- 

 num, a scapula and clavicle, hidden under the skin. The absence 

 of all these bony parts compels us to separate the subgenus I call 



(1) From !>4>K a Serpent, and c-av^cc, a Lizard. 



(2) Add Ophis pundatus; Oph. striatulus, Nob. two new species. 



(3) The Anguis enx, L. is merely a young specimen of the fragilis, in which the 

 dorsal lines are still well marked; the A. clivicus, of which Daudin makes an Erix, 

 no one knows why, is an old animal of the same species, with a truncated tail. It 

 is only quoted from Gronovius, who cites the Coluber of Gesner. This Coluber 

 is an old fragilis. 



