230 COPE. [Vol. VII. 



Anguis fragilis Linn. PI. XIII, Fig. 6. Described by 

 Heusinger, I.e., PI. Ill, Fig. 9 ; Miiller, I.e. ; and imperfectly- 

 figured by Dumeril and Bibron, I.e., VII, Figs. 6 and 10. It is 

 well described and figured by Fiirbringer, I.e., pp. 14, 42; PI. I, 

 Fig. 9; PI. Ill, Figs. 37, 38. Europe. 



Scapular and pelvic arches present ; no limbs. 



Seapidar areh. Interclavicle wanting ; other elements present. 

 Sternum roughly transverse diamond-shaped, with the posterior 

 border slightly convex. No costal connections. Ossification 

 slight. Clavicles osseous, slender, directed forward medially, 

 and not quite meeting on the median line. Scapula cartilagi- 

 nous, coracoid osseous. A large coracoid cartilage, which slightly 

 overlaps that of the other side anteriorly, and is recurved at the 

 anterior apex, to continue as the slender procoracoid cartilage. 



Pelvie arch. Three elements fused into one, as in the pre- 

 ceding genera, the distal elements forming a suboval plate ; the 

 ilium a short, curved rod, articulating proximally with a single 

 robust diapophysis of a single vertebra. The whole structure 

 is entirely lateral. 



Observations. Dumeril and Bibron commit an error in their 

 figure of the pelvis of the Angiiis fragilis, in representing 

 the pelvic elements as meeting on the middle line below, which 

 is far from being the case. Furbringer's figures are much more 

 accurate. 



Comparison of Diploglossa. The degeneracy in this series 

 is tolerably consistent in the order of its progress. In none 

 of the genera are fore limbs present, and in three of them 

 hind limbs are present. Notwithstanding the universal absence 

 of fore limbs, a scapular arch is always present. This region 

 shows, however, successive stages of degeneracy, as follows : 

 In the three genera without posterior limbs, the sternum has 

 costal articulations ; in the other three, none. In the genera 

 with costal articulations, the number of the latter diminishes 

 regularly : in Mancus, three ; in Opheodes, two ; in Pygopus, one. 

 Of the three genera with costal articulations, the interclavicle is 

 present in two ; in one (Pygopus) it is wanting. In the other 

 genera it is present in a much modified form and position in 

 one genus (Ophisaurus). Clavicles and coracoids are osseous 

 in all of them ; but the procoracoid is osseous in only two 

 genera (Opheodes and Pygopus) ; while in the third genus with 



