ANACONDA AND ANGUIS FRAGILIS. 453 



They have also been included among the burrowing snakes, 

 many of which have no better right to the name of Anguis, 

 With the advance of herpetology more minute distinctions 

 of classification occur, and anatomy now proves in the 

 'brittle snake' a stronger relationship to lizards than to 

 serpents. It has eyelids,' like the lizards ; no palate teeth, 

 non-extensible jaw-bones, and more consolidated head- 

 bones ; so that you never see the facial distortion in these 

 lizard-snakes when feeding, that is so striking in the true 

 ophidians. It has scales alike all round, and also a distinct 

 neck and a vestige of sternum and pelvic bones whence 

 formerly two pairs of legs proceeded. From an evolutionary 

 point of view, therefore, it is even in advance of Anaconda, 

 which has still its 'spurs' to get rid of. 



Space need not here be occupied in a recapitulation of 

 other features and the manners and habits oi Anguis fragilis 

 beyond what the subject in hand demands ; and in connec- 

 tion with this our two anguine heroines will be found to 

 display one other striking feature in common. For the rest, 

 in Bell's British Reptiles it is treated at length. In Wood's 

 Natural History, also, there is a long and minute account 

 of the slow-worm, including details of a most interesting 

 character, as being gathered from personal observations. 



Anaconda, however, claims historical priority. 



As a water snake it has already been partially described 

 (p. 228), and some of its synonyms were given in explanation 

 of its scientific name Eunectes, to trace its right to be included 

 among the water snakes, and muriiius, to show the nature 

 of its food. Being a native of tropical America— which 

 embraces many extensive countries and includes numerous 



