THE LIZARDS 175 



are scientifically designated as the Euchirotidce and the 

 Amphisbcenidce ; the members inhabit the warmer parts 

 of the New and the Old World. They are the most 

 degraded among all reptiles, leading an underground 

 life, where they progress either backward or forward, 

 exactly like a worm, by moving their segment-like rings 

 of scaly integument — the scales being practically fused 

 into rings. Owing to their external characters and cer- 

 tain features of the skeleton and the tongue, we may 

 note similarity to certain forms in the Teiidce, and rate 

 these lizards as degenerate types of that family. The 

 pectoral arch is reduced to a mere rudimentary condi- 

 tion. The species are stout ; most of them have a stumpy 

 tail. 



The Euchirotidce is composed of strange creatures. 

 There are three genera, each containing a single species. 

 While blind, exactly like a big worm in form, of a uni- 

 form brownish gray, an utterly incongruous part of their 

 make-up consists of a pair of well-formed front legs. 



The genera are separated as follows: — 



Toes five — all clawed. Euchirotes. E. biporus. Lower Calif. 

 Toes five — one small, elawless. Bipes. B. caniculatus. Mexico. 

 Toes three — all clawed. Hemichirotes. H. tridactylus. Mexico. 



The species are often known as Two-Handed Blind 

 "Snakes." 



The members of the family Amphisbcenidce differ 

 from the preceding creatures only in having no limbs. 

 They inhabit both the New and the Old World and are 

 entirely worm-like, having no characters that might 

 appeal to the popular observer as being like a reptile. 

 When compared with other lacertilians it cannot be said 

 they are covered with scales. The integument is sep- 

 arated into narrow rings or segments, these intensifying 

 the worm-like aspect. The top of the head and the 



