336 Mr. J. E. Gray on the Slender-tongued Saurians. 



duced, large, with a rather sharp edge, lower one similar, but smaller ; 

 nostrils subsuperior in the centre of an oblique triangular nasal scale 

 occupying the under edge of the rostral ; vertebral plates three, one 

 behind the other, the middle one largest, the hinder triangular ; eyes 

 small with only rudimentary eyelids ; ears none. Body elongate, 

 subcylindrical, covered with uniform smooth imbricate scales ; feet 

 two, rudimentary, simple, tapering, ending in a single claw placed 

 on each side of the two prseanal shields; tail elongate, cylindrical, 

 tapering, with a central series of similar scales beneath. 



Soridia lineata. Silvery, with distant rows of minute black specks 

 and a broad black streak down each side. Length of body 1-J; 

 of tail 1-1- inch. 



Hab. Australasia. 



Acontiace. Head shielded, rostral shield large, cup-shaped, in- 

 closing the end of the muzzle ; nostril dot-like in the middle of the 

 sides of the rostral shield, with a posterior groove to its hinder edge ; 

 chin shield like the rostral, but smaller. Body subcylindrical, 

 covered with smooth imbricate scales; feet rudimentary, some- 

 times wanting ; tongue short, like the Scincidce ; scales with a 

 transverse central line, and close parallel longitudinal white internal 

 lines. 



Nessia, n. g. Body cylindrical, head shielded; ears distinct, dot- 

 like ; feet very short, rudimentary, divided into three very short sub- 

 equal toes ; claws sharp, central rather the longest ; eyes distinct ; 

 eyelids ? Tail thick, elongate, cylindrical. 



Nessia Burtonii. Pale brown, centre of scales darker, beneath 

 pale. 



Hab. ? Mus. Chatham. 



Named after Dr. Burton of Chatham. 



Evesia, n. g. Head shielded, with three vertebral shields, two 

 first large and transverse, four- sided, 3rd triangular, and several 

 oblique occipital shields, loreal shield long ; body and tail subcy- 

 lindrical, covered with equal smooth six-sided scales ; feet four, 

 simple, thin, weak, rudimentary, far apart, covered with scales, end 

 undivided, ragged. 



Evesia monodactylus, Bell. Pale brown, scales smooth, dark edged ; 

 tail darker. 



Hab. ? Mus. Bell. 



Bipes. Body subcylindrical ; legs two, posterior, on the sides of 

 the vent, feet unequally 2-lobed ; ears none. 



Bipes anguineus, Merrem. Anguis bipes, Linn. Seba, i. t. 86. f. 3. 



