98 SAURIA. 



FAMILY OF SAND UZAm)^—SEPSID^. 



This family differs from those of the Skinks and of the Acontiads by the 

 nostrils being- in the front edge of a small shield, in a notch at the hinder 

 side of the rostral. 



The species are African, extending over the warmer parts of Western Asia. One species 

 reaches to Afghanistan, and was first described by Mr. Blyth. 



SPHENOCEPHALUS, Blyth. 

 Limbs four, rudimentary, each with three toes. Ears invisible. 



SPHENOCEPHALUS TEIDACTYLUS. 



Sphenocephalus tridactylus, Blyth, Journ. As. Soc. Beng. xxii. p. 654. 



" A Sepsoid form affined to Sphenops, but with more slender and elongate shape, and the limbs placed 

 more distinctly apart ; the anterior minute, and fitting into a groove ; the posterior as large as in Sphenops, 

 and each having but three toes, of which the innermost and next are subequal, and the outer much 

 shorter. Form slender, two-thirds cylindrical, quite flat, and laterally angulated beneath as far as the 

 vent ; the body and tail covered with small, smooth, lustrous, hexagonal scales, with a median roAV of 

 broader subcaudals. Tongue broad, triangular, its cleft scarcely perceptible ; the incision of the palate 

 small. Teeth very minute. Eyes minute, with semitransparent lower lid. No external trace of ear. 

 Nostrils terminal, placed in the anterior margin of the nasals, contiguous to the front of each supranasal* 

 and the rostral ; rostral equilaterally triangular ; the single prsefrontal broad, septangular, with apex to 

 the front ; postfrontals subtriangular, a little elongated ; vertical obtusely subtriangular ; occipital inequi- 

 laterallj' pentangular, wdth obtuse posterior base, single, and as large as the vertical. A large subquadri- 

 lateral plate under the eye, and three small transversely narrow plates in front of it, and posterior to the 

 nasal plate. A large diamond plate on centre of chin, emarginate anteriorly to admit a small roundish 

 plate which is bordered by the anterior laterals. Very pale brown. Total length 6 inches, of which the 

 tail is 2 inches, and distance apart of the fore and hind limbs half an inch (?). Length of fore limb |th of 

 an inch, of hind j^gths of an inch. From Afghanistan." 



* I have changed the terms applied by Mr. Blyth to the shields of the head, for those used by myself. 



