Dr. J. E. Gray on the Amphisbcenians. 367 



tapering end of one of the oblong shields going before the end of the 

 other. Sometimes this is the case with the dorsal line, and not with 

 the lateral one. In some species, instead of- only the four triangular 

 shields in the lateral line, the shield between the cross groove is di- 

 vided into several minute scale-like shields. 



In some of the larger species, as Amphisbcena alba, some of the 

 rings of shields are marked with an oblique groove crossing several 

 shields, dividing each of them into two parts ; but these seem to be 

 mere individual variations occurring on several parts of the back 

 of some specimens, and not present in others. 



Dume'ril and Bibron give the number of the teeth as one of the 

 specific characters. I have not been able to verify their observations; 

 they give the following as the number. There seems to be always an 

 odd number of intermaxillary teeth, the middle one being usually 

 large. 



Trogonophis Wiegmanni 



Chirotes caniculatus 



9-9 18 



3.7-3 13 



6.6 12 



Amphisbcena americana et A. alba "isT?" = i6 



T> j. 5.7-5 _ 



Petrm -j^- = l6 



T. ■ ■• 4.7.4 15 



JUarivimi , „ ■ =— 



/ ./ 14 



Sarea cceca ' ' =^ 



7.7 14 



Cadea punctata lf^i" 4= li 



Anops Kingii . . I 4.7.4 15 



Blanus cinereus J 7-7 h 



Fam. 1. TrogonophidjE. 



Head oblong, depressed, rounded below ; nostrils lateral, in large 

 nasal shields ; teeth conical, on the edge of the maxilla. Body 

 cylindrical, covered with rings of uniform, elongate, oblong, four- 

 sided shields, without any sternal disk ; lateral line sunken, narrow, 

 covered with a few minute scales ; preanal pores none ; tail conical, 

 acute. 



Glyphodermes acrodontes, Dum. et Bibr. Erp. Gen. v. 467. 



Trogonophis, Kaup, Isis, 1830, p. 880. 



Head oblong, depressed ; nasal shields large, united by a short 

 straight edge, behind the large triangular convex rostral ; crown with 

 two pairs of shields ; temple with many small shields ; upper labial 

 plate moderate ; lower labial shield larger, with a series of large chin- 

 shields on each side, and a central gular one. Tail conical, acute ; 

 preanal pores none. 



The skull of this genus has been figured by Dr. Kaup in his paper 

 in the ' Isis ' quoted below. 



