172 OPHIDIA. 



TYPHLOPS. 



Typhlops (sp., Schneid.), Dum. ^ Bibr. 



Snout covered with large shields ; rostral large, rounded in front ; prse- 

 ocular present ; nostril laterally in front of the snout. 



Inhabitants of almost every part between the tropics. The following species occur in 

 British India: — 



I. Subocular none. 



A. Fronto-nasal in contact with the second labial. 



Scales in twenty-six series ; black above, yellow below T. iiigro-albus, p. 172. 



Scales in twenty-six series ; the darker coloration of the back gradually 



passing into that of the lower part T. horsfieldii, ]). 173. 



Scales in twenty-four series; four grooves at the lower side of the snout . T. bothriorhynchus, p. 174. 



Scales in twenty-four series; each scale with a yellow, posteriorly black- 

 edged cross streak T. striolatus, p. 174. 



Scales in twenty-two series T. siamensis, p. 175. 



B. The fronto-nasal is separated from the labials by the intervening nasal and pr<Bocular shields. 



The circumference of the body is jJgth of the total length T. braminus, y>- 175. 



The circumference of the body is gVth of the total length T. tenuis, ]). 176. 



II. A subocular below the prceocular. 



Scales in eighteen series T. mirus, p. 176. 



Typhlops nigbo-albus. (Plate XVI. fig. F.) 



Typhlops nigro-albus, Dum. &; Bibr. vi. p. 295. Cantor, Mai. Rept. p. 51. 

 Argyrophis bicolor, Gray, Lizards, p. 136. 



The upper part of the rostral shield is not quite twice as broad as the lower ; nostril 

 lateral ; nasal entirely separated fi-om the fronto-nasal, the suture between both shields being 

 continued above the nostril. The fronto-nasals are close together behind the rostral, without 

 touching each other ; their broadest part is just above the nostril, where they are as broad 

 as the lower part of the rostral ; prfeocular rather larger than ocular, which extends as far 

 backwards as the hinder labial. Labials four* : the first in contact Avith rostral and nasal, 

 the second with nasal, fronto-nasal, and praeocular ; the third slightly ascending between 

 praiocular and oculai", the fourth below the ocular. Of the scale-like shields of the crown 

 of the head, the supraocular and parietal are rather larger than the others, which otherwise 

 much resemble the scales of the body. 



The body is rather thicker behind than in front ; the circumference in its middle is con- 

 tained ten times and a half in its total length. The tail is slightly curved, extremely short, 

 its length being rather less than the width of the head ; it terminates in a minute spine. 



