THE BLIND BURROWING SNAKES. 51 
of a pelvis, which indicates that their remote ancestors had legs. 
Those ancestors, in fact, were lizards. The fact that these snakes 
have blunt tails and the vent situated almost at the end, has given 
rise to the popular belief in “‘ Two-headed ’”’ Snakes. When ex- 
amined casually they certainly have the appearance of possessing 
a head at opposite ends of the body. 
Genus TYPHLOPS. 
A single Genus in South Africa. 
MEY LO} SHES SPECIES: 
1. TYPHLOPS VERTICALIS.—Snout rounded ; 22 or 24 scales round the body. 
Preocular much narrower than the ocular, in contact with the 
second and third labials; diameter of body 42 to 45 times in 
total length. 
SKULLS OF TYPHLOPS OR BLIND BURROWING SNAKES. 
Fic. 21.—(1) Side view showing situation of teeth. (2) Skull viewed 
from above. (3) Skull showing roof of the mouth and row of teeth. 
ee are the only teeth a Typhlops Snake has. (Brit. Mus. Cat. 
nakes.) 
2. TYPHLOPS FORNASINII.—Snout rounded; 22 or 24 scales round the 
body. Preocular a little narrower than the ocular, in contact 
with the second labial only ; diameter of body 23 to 30 times 
in total length. 
3. TYPHLOPS MOSSAMBICUS.—Snout with obtusely angular, not trenchant, 
