282 CLASS XV. 



gesch. Bras. Lief. ix. Brasil; — Ami-thisbcena scuiigera Hempr., also from 

 Brasil ; resembling an earth-worm ; it is distinguished from the other species 

 by two large scutes, which cover the head. Mueller formed of it a distinct 

 genus, Cephalopeltis ; Zeitschr. f. Physiol, von Tiedem. m. Trevir. iv. 2, 

 p. 253, Tab. -22, fig. 5. Compare on the sub-genus Lepidosternon, 

 WiEGMANN in his Arcliiv f. Naturgesch. 1836, I. pp. 152 — 158. 



Amjjhisbcena Dum. and Bibr. (^Amphisbcena and Blanus Wagl.). 

 Head obtuse, gibbous. Row of pores in front of vent. 



Sp. Amphishcena alba L., Mus. Ad. Frid. Tab. iv. fig. 2, Lac. Quadr. ovip. 

 et serp. II. PI. 21, fig. i, Am^iTiisbcena flavescens Maxim. Pr. -i'. Wied, Ahh. 

 zur Naturgesch. Bras. Lief. ix. ; yellow or reddish brown on the back, 

 white below; the largest species, becomes i' 9" long, of which the tail 

 makes one half, with twenty rings; Surinam, Brasil; — Amphishcena 

 fuliginosa L., Seba Thes. i. Tab. 88, fig. 3, 11. Tab. 73, fig. 4, Tab. 100, 

 fig. 3, Cuv. R. Ani., ed. ill., Rept. PI. 25, fig. i, (on the plate fig. 2 

 erroneously stands by the figure) ; this species from Guiana and 

 Surinam is spotted irregularly yellow and black ; it is smaller than 

 the preceding, and the tail has from 26 to 30 rings, without being longer 

 on that account. — In these and some other species the tail is blunt; 

 AmphishKna cinerea Vandelli, Blanus cinereus Wagl., Gervais in 

 GuERiN, Magas. de Zool. 1837, Rept. PI. 10, from Portugal, Spain and 

 North Africa ; is distinguished by a conical, pointed tail. 



ChirotesT)\5M., Cuv., Meer. Limbs two anterior, short, placed 



near the head, with hand broad, pentadactjlous, four fingers ungui- 



culate, snbequal, fifth very small, clawless. Row of pores in 



front of vent. 



Sp. Chirotes canaliculatus Merr., Lacerta lumhricoides Shaw, Lac. Quadr, 

 ovip. et Serp. 1. PI. 41, Daud, Rept. iv. PI. 58, fig. 4, Guerin Iconogr., 

 Rept. PI. 16, fig. 3; a small animal, 8" or 9" long, which is found in 

 Mexico. CuviER had announced that it agrees with AmpJiisbcena in 

 internal structure and ought to be placed near it : this has been confirmed 

 by the investigations of J. Mueller, and is now generally received ; see 

 Zeitschr. f. Physiol, cited above, pp. 257 — 260, where also the skeleton and 

 the tongue are figured. 



Order V. Saurii. 



Cavity of tympanum distinct, covered in most by a naked 

 tympanic membrane, in some by strata of muscles. Eyelids mostly 

 distinct, mobile. (Lower jaw with symphysis immoveable. 

 Maxillary teeth in all, in some palatine teeth also. Feet almost 

 always four, in some two posterior, in very few none.) 



This most numerous order of reptiles contains some species which 

 correspond externally with serpents to such a degree, that formerly, 



