130 



REPTILES. 



Fam. XIX. Typhlops, (Typhlopsid.e). 



Head depressed, broad, rounded in front, with a large ublon<i^ 

 erect rostral plate. Nostrils lateral, in a distinct nasal shield be- 

 hind the edge of the muzzle, and with a slit to the hinder lower 

 and sometimes to the front upper edge of the plate. Mouth small, 

 lunate, inferior, above edged by the shields on the side of the head, 

 upper labial shields none. Crown covered with 3 series of 6-sided 

 scale-like shields, the middle ones representing the internasal, 

 frontal and interparietal shields. Eyes lateral, covered by and 

 only to be seen through the ocular shields, sometimes wanting. 

 Tongue elongate, flat, forked at the tip. Body cylindrical, some- 

 times rather larger behind. Scales 6- sided, smooth. Tail cylin- 

 drical, suddenly contracted and obliquely convex and scaly above 

 at the end, tip covered with a conical or spinose shield. 



They move with considerable swiftness {Russell), sometimes 

 found three or four feet under ground {Trinhrill). where they bury 

 themselves in the rainy season (Spix), and are often found under 

 stones {Ince). They are quite innocent, and not inclined to bite 

 {Spix and Russell), and lire some time after they are immersed in 

 ordinary spirits of wine {Russell). 



The diameter of the body, after a certain age, appears to in- 

 crease during growth, much more rapidly than the length. Dr, 

 Schlegel, in his Abbildungen,t. 32, has figured the heads and tails 

 of eleven species, but the scales of the head are scarcely sufficient- 

 ly accurate for the determination of the species with certainty. 



Synopsis of the Genera. 



I. Tail short. Vent edged ivith scales in front. The frontonasal 

 shield lateral, narroiv beloiv. The upper lip edged hy nasal and 

 ocular only. 



* Head nearly covered ivith the large oblong rostral, ichich is sharp- 

 edged or keeled and concave beneath, and rather bent down in 

 front. Nostril inferior. 



1. Typhlops. Rostral very large, oblong. Nasal, frontonasal 



and eye shields very narrow, rest of head covered with scales 

 like the body. 



2. Onychophis. Rostral moderate, oblong. Nasal, frontonasal 



and eye shields oblong, subangular. Crown with 3 series of 

 6-sjded shields. 



