Zoobgy.-] NATURAL HISTORY OF VICTORIA. [Reptiles. 



Reference. — Gray, Grey Jour. Exp. Aust., v. 2, p. 438, t. 4, f. 2 = 

 A. octolineata, (Peters) Monatsberichte der Konigliclien Preuss. Akad. der Wissen- 

 schaften zu Berlin, 1863, p. 233. 



This beautiful little creature has the shark-shaped head of the 

 Blind Worms or Worm Snakes, the front of the snout and curved 

 rostral plate projecting in front of the mouth, probably to facilitate 

 burrowing in the ground. In the situation of the hind leg-flaps of 

 Pijgoptis and Delma there is a ver}'' minute triangular group of 

 about three scales, much smaller than the others, and resting in 

 a depression, no doubt representing the leg-flaps of those genera, 

 and which has been overlooked • by the older writers, although 

 noticed by Mr. Boulanger. The absence of the external ear 

 aperture also shows an approach to the Worm Snakes. The 

 eyelids, however, and fixed jaws indicate their true afiinities with 

 the Lizards, from which, however, they depart more than any other 

 form known. I have no doubt that Dr. Giinther is correct in 

 refering the A. octolineata of Professor Peters to this same species, 

 as I find the streaks vary from six to nine, and the normal number 

 of rows of scales for the present species is twelve. 



The first Victorian specimen I have seen was presented to the 

 Museum by my former pupil. Dr. E. Hearn, from Lake Wallace, 

 where it had been turned up by the plough in a field. Subse- 

 quently I received another from Mr. Goldstein, who found it at 

 Portland in April 1879. 



Explanation of Figures. 



Plate 162. — Fig. 1, average specimen, natural size, but the tail shorter than its proper 

 proportion, from haTing been lost and re-grown. Fig. la, top of head and neck, magnified five 

 diameters, to show plates of top of head ; showing also the unusual middle streak for a short 

 distance in tliis specimen. Fig. li, side view of head, magnified five diameters, to show the scaly 

 eyelid, pre-ocular or frenal plate, edge of supra-ocular plate, freno-nasal, nasal and labials. 

 Fig. Ic, under side, to show large chin plate and post-mental plate, and enlarged first labial. 

 Fig. \d, front view of snout, to show relation of rostral to adjacent plates. Fig. le, top of 

 middle of body. Fig. 1/, side view of b>ase of tail, showing dorsal and ventral scales and minute 

 leg-flaps, magnified five diameters. Fig. Iq, same, viewed from below, showing large preanal 

 scales. Fig. \h, leg-flap, more highly magnified. 



Frederick McCoy. 



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