I. Fam. Typhlopidae. 



Body small, worm-like, covered with uniform, cycloid scales; 

 eyes covered by shields. Head-bones solidly united; no ecto- 

 pterygoid; pterygoids short, not reaching the mandible; no 

 supratemporal ; maxillary small, vertical, loosely fixed and 

 bearing a few teeth; mandible toothless; coronoid present. 

 Pelvis reduced to a single bone. 



They lead a subterranean life, usually feeding on worms, 

 and may be found in rotten trees. 

 Oviparous, the few eggs large and long. 

 A single genus. 



I. Typhlops Schneider. 



(Schneider, Hist. Amph. 11 p. 339, 1801). 



Head covered with large shields; 

 nasal single or divided. Tail very short. 



Distribution. Borders of the Medi- 

 terranean ; Africa; S. Asia; Australia; 

 C. and S. America; West Indies. 



Fig. I. Head of Typlilops 

 nigroalbiis D. & B. X S'/a- 



Key to the I nd o-Aust ral i an species. 



^. No praeocular; no subocular; ocular in contact 



with the second and third labials \. T. lineatus p. 4. 



B. Praeocular present, in contact with the third, 

 or second and third labials; no subocular; 

 ocular in contact with the labials. 



I. Praeocular in contact with the third labial only 2. T. kraali p. 4. 

 H. Praeocular in contact with the second and 

 third labials (fig. i). 



a. Nasal cleft proceeding from the praeocular. 3. T. hraiiiimis p. 5. 

 /'. Nasal cleft proceeding from the first labial. 

 I. Snout rounded. 

 + Nostril inferior. 



tfrt. Rostral about '/s the width of the 

 head, not extending to the level 

 of the eyes; nasal completely di- 

 vided; 20 scales round the body. 4. T. eryiinus ji. 6. 

 /^A Rostral about '/j the width of the 

 head, extending to the level of 

 the eyes; nasal incompletely di- 

 vided; 22 scales round the body. 5- ^' tolygramvilcus p. 6. 



