ACONTIAS. 227 



M-hich is toothless. Teeth cooical. Eye small, with transparent 

 lower eyelid ; upper eyelid not developed. Ear hidden or just dis- 

 tinguishable. Xosti-il pierced in the large rostral shield, with the 



Fig. 63. — Upper aud side views of head of Acontias layardii. 



posterior l)order oB which it is connected by a long straight hori- 

 zontal sutux'e ; no supranasals ; no pnefrontals or frontoparietals. 

 Body much elongate ; limbs rudimentary or absent. 



Distribution. South Africa, Madagascar, Ceylon. 9 species are 

 known. 



iSynopsis of Ceyloiiese Species. 



A. lutLTpuiietal broader tUau the froutal. 



a. Limbs present, tridactyle 1. htirtonii, p. 227. 



b. Limbs present, bud-like A. monodactijlm, p. 228. 



c. Ijimbs absent .1. Imjardii, p. •22h. 



B. Interparietal narrower than the frontal : 



bud-like rudiments of hind limbs A. sarasinoriciii, p. 228. 



265. Acontias burtonii. 



Nessia burtonii, Gray, Ann. X. II. ii, 18.39, p. -"536; Kelaarf, Prodr, 



\\, ]). 11 ; Giinfli. Itepf. li. I. p. 07 ; Theob. Cat. p. 68. 

 Acontias burtonii, lUmleny. Cat. Liz. iii, p. 42.5. 



Head conical ; snout long, pointed, projecting ; ear-opening dis- 

 i iuct, minute ; rostral covering about one-third of the snout ; mental 

 moderate ; frontonasal longer than the rostral and slightly shorter 

 than the frontal ; the latter shield about as broad as long, angularly 

 emarginate on each side by the hrst supraocular ; 4 supraoculars ; 

 (3 supraciliaries : interparietal neai'ly as long as the frontal and a 

 little broader ; parietals narrow ; loreal and first upper labial very 

 long, much longer than the rostral ; second labial entering the 

 orbit. 24 scales roimd the middle of the body, equal. Both pairs 

 of limbs present, minute, tridactyle, clawed. Prseanal scales not 

 or scarcely enlarged. Length of the tail contained about 1| times 

 in that of the head and body. Brown, lighter beneath, each scale 

 edged with darker. 



Erom snout to vent 3 inches ; tail 1*8. 



Hah. Ceylon. 



q2 



