442 Zoological Society : — 



the scales of the hack and tail of the ZonuriJce are all rhomhic and 

 more or less distinctly keeled. It differs trom the Amphisbccnidce in 

 having an elongated head, fonr distinct moderately strong limhs 

 (each furnished with five toes armed with claws), and hroad square 

 shields on the central part of the belly and tail. 



It differs from the genera of the Chalcidce in the position of the 

 nostril (which in the genera of this family is large and placed in the 

 suture between the lower edge of the nasal and the upper edge of the 

 labial shield), and in the presence of exposed ears, which in that fa- 

 mily are entirely hidden under the skin. 



These animals have the general form of the Lizards — their elon- 

 gated head furnished with regular shields, well developed eyes co- 

 vered with eyelids, well developed legs and feet, and a bifid tongue 

 with acute lobes, combined with small regular square or rather elon- 

 gated four-sided scales forming rings round the body. The scales of 

 the different rings are arranged in regular longitudinal series, smooth, 

 impressed, not imbricate one over the other, but like those of Am- 

 phisbcBua : indeed on looking at its back it might be almost taken for 

 an Amphisbcena furnished with short legs ; but, unlike those animals, 

 the scales of the middle of the belly and the middle of the under side 

 of the body are of the same length, but twice as wide, as the other 

 scales, forming equal-sided square shields like those of the true La- 

 certidce. 



Their general appearance would lead one to the idea that they may 

 form a group intermediate between the AmphisbcBna and the Zonu- 

 rlform Lizards, but evidently more nearly allied to the latter. 



Family Riamid.e. 

 The characters of the genus. 



Genus Riama. 



Head elongate, with regular shields ; labial shield short, broad. 

 Chin and gullet with large shields. Tongue scaly ; apex bifid ; lobes 

 acute. Nostrils lateral, in the front part of a single plate. Eyes 

 distinct, furnished with eyelids. Ears sunken, covered with small 

 scales. Throat with several distinct collars, the hinder largest. 

 Body and tail elongate, cylindrical ; sides with a narrow impressed 

 groove extending from the axilla to the groin. The scales of the 

 back, sides of the belly, and upper part and sides of the tail, square, 

 elongate, four-sided, narrow, placed in equal-sized regular transverse 

 rings and longitudinal series ; of the middle of the belly and under 

 side of the tail broader (about twice as broad as the others), square. 

 Legs four, short, moderately strong. Toes 5 • 5 : the front short, 

 subequal, claws short, blunt ; the hind ones unequal ; the inner very 

 short, rudimentary ; the outer elongate, placed lower on the foot 

 than the rest, claws longer, acute. Femoral pores few, distinct. 

 Tail elongate, cylindrical, rather fusiform, tapering to a fine point. 

 Vent with two arched series of squarish shields in front. 



The rings of dorsal scales are rather interrupted over the vertebral 

 line : on the nape between the shoulders and on the front part of the 



