392 Mr. Bell on a new Genus of Amphishenide. 
the head, that their existence is only indicated by a slight shade of colour 
seen through the horny plate. The ears, as in the other genera of the 
family, are entirely hidden. The anus is transverse, and forms the seg- 
ment of a circle; the anterior border being furnished with three pairs of 
plates, of which the outer pair is rounded, the others quadrangular; while 
the posterior edge has four pairs, the middle pair of which are large and 
square, the others narrow and somewhat fan-shaped. There are no 
pores anterior to the anus, as in Amphisbena. 
In. Lin, 
Sta TERN 6s oe yee eos ne a 
Length ofthehead ... . 3. . a 
the'tal.g hee) ek ee 
Diameter of thebody . . . . 4 
The propriety of applying a distinct generic appellation to this new 
species of a singular and interesting family, will, I think, appear from the 
consideration of the characters which I have given in the foregoing 
description. Whilst the general form, the structure and arrangement of 
the scales, the concealed ears and eyes, and the short obtuse tail, point 
out at once its close relation to the other genera of the Amphisbenide, 
there are several characters, and those not unimportant, in which it dif- 
fers from all the genera at present included in that family. Thus by the 
absence of any external rudiments of members, and the entire conceal- 
ment of the eyes, it is distinguished from Chirotes, to which it is allied 
by the depressed lateral line, and by the absence of pre-anal pores. 
From Amphisbena it differs in the absence of pores and in the more 
depressed lateral line; and it wants the broadly shielded thorax of Le- 
posternon. From all it is strikingly different in the form of the rostrum 
and of the singular compressed frontal plate, which considerably resem- 
bles that which characterizes the genus Typhlops> 
Whether we may consider this peculiarity as constituting an approxi- 
mation to the last named genus, it would perhaps be presumptuous to 
decide; but the same peculiar structure would indicate a corresponding 
similarity in their habits ; and I cannot doubt that the hard sharpened 
and prominent horn which terminates this part, is intended to facilitate 
the entrance of the animal into masses of closely entangled herbage and 
