PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 347 



no orbitosplienoid." Nothing is added to tlie family characters of the 

 Anniellidje. 



The same view is held in 1880* and in 1891 ,t GilTs name Anielloidea 

 is substituted for Anguisauri. 



In 1892 Cope J gave a description of the osteology of Anniella, figur- 

 ing the skull, hyoid and pelvic arch, and reaches the following con- 

 clusion : 



The further knowledge of its [Anniella's] structure brings out more clearly its 

 true position. This is, I think, in the Aumilati or Auiphisbinnia. The characters 

 which indicate this reference are: (1) The continuity of the parietal witli the 

 petrosal and supraoccipital elements. (2) The absence of epipterygoid. (3) The 

 absence of ceratohyal elements. (4) The hypophyses of the cervical vertebrie 

 which are continuous with th« centra. (.5) The partially open chevron bones 

 which are also continuous with the centra. (6) The sublongitudinal ileopectineal 

 bone and absence of other pelvic elements. 



He now places the Anniellid.e as a very distinct family among the 

 Amphisbiieiiia. 



We have therefore the following views in regard to the systematic 

 position of Anniella: 



1852. Gray: ^n«(e?/« belongs to the Scincidie and is closely related to Soridia 



lineata, Gray. 

 1864, 1871, 1875. Cope: Anniella is the representative of a special fiimily Anniel- 



lidae, which, together with the Anelytropidie and Acontiidie, forms a 



special tribe of the Lacertilia. 

 1884, 1885. Bonlenger: The Anniellidw forma family between the Arujuidce and 



Helodermatidw; Anniella seems to be a strongly degraded form of the 



Anguid(v. 



1886. Gill: The Anniellido' have to be placed in a distinct superfamily Jnnfe?- 



loidea, between the Anguida; and the HeJodermatida\ 



1887, 1889. Cope: The Anniellidw "belong \o a special suborder Anguisatm: the 



Angiiisauri and Opheomuri (Amphisbienia) constitute a natural group 

 of the Lacertilia. 



1891. Cope: The name Annielloidea, Gill is substituted for Anguisaiiri. 



1892. Cope: The AiinieJlidce form a very distinct family of the Amphishcenia. 



Having lately been engaged in a detailed study of the morphology of 

 the skull of the Amphisba^iians, of which I shall report in another place, 

 it became necessary to examine Anniella, which, according to Cope's 

 latest researches, is considered a member of the Amphisboenians. My 

 material consists of 2 skulls prepared by myself from alcoholic speci- 

 mens, which were given me by Prof. J. J. Eivers, of Oakland, Cal., and 

 of a completely macerated skeleton of Anniella pnlclira, (No. 3185, 

 U.S.N.M.), trom San Diego, Cal., collected by Dr. J. L. Le Conte. I 



*CoPE, E. D. — Synopsis of the families of Vertebrata. Am. Nat., Oct., 1889, pp. 

 19-20. 



t Cope, E. D. — Syllabus of lectures on (ieology and Paleontology. I'hiladeJiihia, 

 1891, p. 48. 



tCoPE, E. D. — The Osteology of the Lacertilia. Proc. Amer. Philos. Soc, xxx, 

 May 10, 1892, pp. 215-217, PI. 11, fig. 4; PI. vi, fig. 43. 



Cope, E. D. — On Degenerate Types of Scapular and Pelvic Arclies in the Lacertilia. 

 Journ. Morphol., vii, No. 2, p. 240, PL xiii, fig. 7. Boston, 1892. 



