CROCODILIANR, LIZARDS, AXD SNAKKS. 489 



may be more or less doveloped, or eutirely absent externally, in which case, how- 

 ever, the rndiinents of the pectoral and pelvic arches are always present. The 

 clavicle is slender, and the iuterclaviclc, in the species with well-developed limbs, 

 crnciforni. Abdominal ribs are absent. 



The body is protected by b:)ny plates nnderlying the scales, which are imbricate 

 and snbequal. Those ])lates are provided with a system of fine tubules, as in the 

 Scincida;, which differ from those of the latter family in bein^f arranged irregularly 

 or forming radiating or arl)orcsccnt figures. The licad shields present this jiecul- 

 iarity, that an occipital or azygous posterior shield is constantly present, a character 

 which ditferentiates the Angnida; from most of the Scincida-. 



These lizards are terrestrial. Jw^Hisisovoviviparous. They are most almndantly 

 represented in Central America (Gcrrhonotus) and the West Indies (Celestas); a 

 few species occur in North and South America; two in Europe and the borders of 

 the Mediterranean, and one in the Himalayas and Burma. 



This family I constructed from fragments of the old Zonurid* aud 

 Scincidii?, agreeing with Peters in referring the Old World representa- 

 tives of the former to the Lacertidse and tliose of the New to the neigh- 

 borhood of Heloderma. From the Scincid.ie I have taken the New 

 World Diploglossina?, finding them possessed of the same i)eculiar char- 

 acters which associate Pscudopus with Gerrhonotus and Heloderma. 

 The families represented by these types do not possess the dilated 

 maxillary laminti^ of the Scincida'. 



There are four subgroups among the genera of Anguidie, namely: 

 Ophisaurin.'e, with the anterior limb of the mesosternum very short or 

 wanting, the dorsal s<;alesin crossrows and a lateral fold; genera Dopa- 

 sia, Pseudojms, OphisauruSj and Opheodes. Anguiniie, with shortened 

 mesosternum and no lateral fold ; Opheodes and Angnis. Diploglossin;ie, 

 without lateral fold, with elongate anterior limb of mesosternum and 

 quincuneial scales, containing Onida,Panolopus, Sauresia, DipJof/lossus, 

 MicroJepis, and Celestus. (In I), monoiropis Peters I have observed an 

 apparent exception to the rule of the retractility of the end of the 

 tongue in this tribe.) Finally, in the preceding groups there is a large 

 foramen which connects the nasal meatus with the anterior part of the 

 pfilate on each side in the premaxillary bone, which is wanting in the 

 Gerrhonotina', and there are dermal shields on the parietal and occip- 

 ital regions, which are represented by scales in the Oerrhonotina'. 



The hemipenis presents well-marked characters, which distinguish 

 the genera and perhaps the subfamilies. In Celestus the extremity car- 

 ries an osseous spicule of relatively large size. Distad of the flounces 

 are inore ((!. stenitrus) or less {C. hadius) numerous longitudinal series 

 of recurved osseous spines, which are longer near the sulcus spermati- 

 cus. In C. sfenxrus the flounces are apiculate at regular intervals. 

 Organ undivided. In the (lerrhonotina' the flounces are cupped and 

 continue to the apex without spines; in Barissia and Gerrhonotus the 

 organ is bifurcate; in Elgaria simple. In .Ajjflr?^?.? a welt on each side 

 of the sulcus has tubercular cross ridges, and the remainder of the sur- 

 face is marked with oblique folds with tubercular margins, tbrming a 

 chevron which is directed distad. In Pseiidopus opus the organ is not 

 symmetrical. Opposite the sulcus is a low, broad, smooth welt, and on 



