558 KEPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1898. 



examined the geuera Dracama, Tupinamhis, Callopistes, Ameiva, Gnemi- 

 do2)horus, Centropyx, Tejus, Anadia, and Oreosaurus. 



I have examined the anatomy of Propus Cope, the most degraded 

 and seipeutiform type of the family, in order to ascertain whether it 

 exhibits any affinity to the Annnlati, as supposed by Boulenger, and 

 to which it has a strong external resemblance. As the anterior limbs 

 only are present, and these are without digits, this genus is even less 

 lacertiform than the Annulate Bipes, so far as external appearance is 

 concerned. 



Propus has very slender postorbital and supratemporal arches, and 

 the paroccipital bone is represented by a relatively rather large nodule 

 between the quadrate, the exoccipital and the supramastoid process of 

 the parietal. The last-named process is rather short and, like the rest 

 of the parietal, is closely applied to the occipital, slightly overlapping 

 the latter. The epipterygoid is present, and is in contact with the 

 strongly decurved angular lateral margin of the parietal and the 

 anterior border of the superior plate of the petrosal. The trigemnial 

 notch is as usual in lizards, and the cranial wall anterior to the petrosal 

 is membranous. The stapes is very large and its columella is a mere 

 tuberosity. 



Scapular and pelvic arches present; anterior limbs only, and these 

 minute. 



Scapular arch. — All the elements present, but the sternum represented 

 by a narrow longitudinal cartilage, and the interclavicle without lateral 

 processes. Clavicle osseous, distally simple; suprascapula cartilagi- 

 nous ; scapula and coracoid osseous. Coracoid deeply twice emarginate, 

 the emarginations occupied by the coracoid cartilage. Sternum with 

 two costal articulations. Fore limbs consisting of humerus and rudi- 

 mental ulno-radius. 



Pelvic arch. — This consists of a simple slender costiform bone, directed 

 downwards and forwards from the diapophysis of a single vertebra. It 

 is homologous wholly or in part with the ilium. 



The lungs are in the position normal to lizards, posterior to (above) 

 the alimentary canal.' The left is very much shorter than the right, 

 and though bound to the latter by connective tissues is not fused with 

 it except at the proximal extremity, and it has no separate bronchus. 

 The small intestine is only moderately complex, and there is a short 

 but conspicuous caecum at its entrance into the large intestine. The 

 liver begins well posterior to the heart, is slender, and has a very 

 small left lobe, and a long and narrow right lobe. The gall-bladder has 

 the usual position between the two. Kidneys elongate, posterior, 

 symmetrical. 



The above characters show that there is not as mutih resemblance to 

 the Annnlati in the serpeutiform Teiidae, as there <ip in the Annielloidea, 

 which see. 



Two or three types may be observed in the structure of the hemipenis, 



' This is also the case in the jillieil genus Anisocloninni, wterc the digits are 4-X. 



