158 



ANGUID^. 



anterior border very slightly denticulated ; upper head-scales 

 smooth, much larger than those on the body, smallest on supra- 

 ocular region ; occipital uot enlarged ; labials small and numerous. 

 Neck strongly plicate. Scales on upper surface very small, uniform 

 or with slightly enlarged ones forming irregular cross series on the 

 back ; ventral scales larger, flat, smooth, juxtaposed or subimbri- 

 cate. Limbs short and thick; hind limb with spinose conical 

 tubercles ; digits short. 9 to 11 femoral, and 5 or 6 prseanal pores 

 on each side. Tail above with cross series of enlarged spinose 

 scales, largest on the sides, gradually decreasing in size towards the 

 median line ; the rows of spines separated from each other by two 

 to four rows of small keeled scales ; lower surface of tail covered 

 with small scales scarcely larger than the abdominals. Sand- 

 coloured above, uniform or with darker dots or vermiculations ; 

 lower surfaces whitish ; a large black spot on the anterior face of 

 the thigh. 



From snout to vent 5 inches ; tail 7. 



Hah. North-western India and Baluchistan in semi-deserts. 



Family IV. ANGUID^. 



Skull with bony postorbital and postfronto-squamosal arches ; 

 dermal cranial ossiiications are present, which roof over the 

 supratemporal fossa ; pramaxillary single ; nasals distinct ; 

 parietal single ; a fihro-cartilaginous interorbital septum ; a colu- 

 mella cranii (ectopterygoid). Dentition pleurodont. Body pro- 

 tected by bony plates underlying the scales. Clavicle slender. 



Tongue moderately elongate, bifid posteriorly, 

 nicked anteriorly, composed of two distinct 

 portions : a principal posterior, thick, covered 

 with villiform papilla^ and a small anterior, 

 extrusible and retractile into a sheath formed 

 by a ti'ansverse fold at the anterior extremity 

 of the villose portion. Head with symmetrical 

 shields. Scales imbricate. No femoral or 

 prpeanal pores. 



The type of this family is the well-known 

 European Slow-worm (Auf/uis fragiUs). The 

 only Indian species {OpMscnirus f/racilis), 

 likewise apodal and serpentiform, belongs to 

 a genus w hich is represented by two North- 

 American species, one Europseo-Asiatic, 



ranging from Dahnatia to Afghanistan, and a fifth from Morocco. 



The family (45 species) is otherwise confined to the New AVorld. 



Fig. 46.— Head of 



O'ph'tsunrus gracilis. 



