CROCODILIANS, LIZARDS, AND SNAKES. 669 



DIBAMID.5i. 



Dibamklce Bottlengkr, Aim. and Mag. Nat. Hist. (5), XIV, 1884, p. 120; Cat. 



Liz. Brit. Mus., 2d ed., Ill, 1887, p. 434. 

 Scineoidicns ti/phlophthalmea Dumeiul and Bibkon, part, Erp. G^n., V, 1839, 



pp. 525, 832. 

 Typhlinidiv Gray, part. Cat. Liz., 1845, p. 128. 



Dr. Boiilenger gives the following description of this family: 



Tongue short, bifid posteriorly, pointed, undivided in front, covered with curved 

 lamelhti or plica'. Teeth small, pointed, hooked, none on palate. Skull compact; 

 no iuterorbital septum; no columella cranii; no arches; no infraorbital foramen; 

 premaxillary double. Limbs absent, the hind pair represented in the male by a 

 pair of flaps on the sides of the anal opening; no rudiments of the sternal apparatus. 

 Body vermiform, covered with cycloid, imbricate scales. No osteodermal [dates. 

 Eyes concealed under the skin. No ear opening. No preanal pores. 



A single genus, which appears to stand in the same relation to the Scincidte as 

 Anniella to the Anguidw. 



SYNOPSIS OF THE GENEIIA. 



Snout normally covered by three large shield8,viz, the rostral, and a labial on each 

 side, which, however, may fuse into a single shield. Nostril pierced in the rostral, 

 with a straight horizontal suture behind it. Limbs totally absent in the female, 

 the hind pair represented in the male- by two flap-like rudiments. 



Dibamus Dum^ril and Bibrou. 



But two species of Dibamus are known, the D. norar/uinew Dumeril 

 aud Bibrou, from New Guinea and adjacent islands and the £>. nicohar- 

 icus Steindachner from the Nicobar Islands. 



ANNIELLOIDEA. 



Annielloidea Gill, Smithsonian Report, 1885, 1886, p. 800. 

 Anguisauri Cope, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 32, 1887, p. 25. 



Petrosal bone produced anterior to the anterior semicircular canal, 

 articulating with the margin of the decurved parietal. Olfactory lobes 

 uuderarched by frontal bones; no supratemporal. Occipital closely 

 articulated witli parietals. Cervical and caudal intercentra coossifled 

 with the centra. Palatine and pterygoid foramina preseut. Tongue 

 papillose ; no ceratohyals. 



This superfamily is, as already indicated, allied to the Anuulati, but 

 is distinguished by the characters given in the analytical table of super- 

 families on p. L'UO, as well as by various others of less significance. 



There is but one family, which is characterized as follows: 



An eye fissure; scales preseut; teeth subpleurodont; no limbs; no postorbital arch; 

 spleuiomental groove closed ANNiKLLlDiE. 



ANNIELLIDJE. 



Anniellid(e Cope, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1864, p. 230. 



Anmellidcv Boulenger, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (5), XIV, 1884; Cat. Liz. Brit. Mus., 

 2d ed., II, 1885, p. 299. 



Tongue villose, the anterior extremity smooth and bitid. Teeth 

 with simple acute crown and with short swollen base. Skull lacking 



