96 SAURIA. 



FAMILY OF ACONTIADS—JCONTIJDW^. 



Head covered with shields which are symmetrically arranged. Tongue 

 free, exsertile, nicked at the end. Scales on the back rounded, quincuncial, 

 indjricate ; those on the belly similar to those on the back and on the sides. 

 No fold across the throat or along the side ; no femoral or inguinal pores. 

 Tail long, rounded, fragile. Eye and lower eyelid well developed. Nostrils 

 in the enlarged rostral plate, with a longitudinal slit behind. Limbs rudi- 

 mentary or absent. 



The form of the body of these Lizards much resembles that of our common BUnd-worm ; 

 and they appear to have very similar habits. Their limbs, if present, are so rudimentary 

 that they can give but little assistance in locomotion. 



ACONTIAS, Cuvier. 



Legs entirely absent. 



The type of this genus is a South African species; Kelaart, however, has discovered in 

 Ceylon a lizard which appears to belong to it. 



ACONTIAS LATARDI. 



Acontias (?) layardi, Kelaart, Prodr. Faun. Zeyl. ii. p. 12. 



" Light olive and spotted longitudinally with brown spots, paler beneath. Length of young 4 inches. 

 Soil of the Cinnamon Gardens of Colombo." 



NESSIA. 



Nessia et Evesia, Gi-ay. 



Four rudimentary legs. Rostral shield large, subconical, depressed. 



These small Lizards are evidently buiTOwing reptiles, approaching the Rhinophides in 

 habit and mode of Ufe. They appear to be confined to the island of Ceylon, whilst the latter 

 extend over some parts of the neighbouring continent also. The two species known are so 



