OPHISAUBUS. 159 



Genus OPHISAURUS, 



Daudin, Kept, vii, p. 346, 1803. 



A lateral fold. Scales squarish-rhomboidal, forming straight 

 longitudinal and transverse series. Limbs absent externally, or 

 reduced to a rudiment of the hind pair. Teeth with conical or 

 subspherical crowns. Pterygoid teeth. 



Distribution. South-eastern Europe, North Africa, South-western 

 Asia, Himalayas and Burma, Central America. 



181. Ophisaurus gracilis. 



Pseudopus gracilis, Gray, Cat. Liz. p. 56 ; Gilnth. Rept, B. I. p. 75 ; 



Theob. Cat. p. 47. 



Ophiseps tessellatus, Blyth, J. A. S.B. xxii, 1853, p. 655. 

 Opbisaurus gracilis, Bouleng. Cat. Liz. ii, p. 283, pi. xv, fig. 1. 



Pig. 47._ Ophisaurus gracilis. 



Lateral teeth conical ; one or two series of teeth on the ptery- 

 goids. Azygos prsefrontal narrower than the greatest width of 

 the frontal, usually separated from the latter by two or three 

 praefrontals on a transverse series ; interparietal broader than the 

 parietal s, as broad as the occipital or broader ; three shields on a 

 line from the nasal to the azygos praefrontal ; five supraoculars. 

 Ear-opening distinct, not larger than the nostril. Dorsal plates 

 keeled, in 14 longitudinal and 100 to 110 transverse series; ven- 

 trals smooth, in 10 longitudinal series. No rudiments of limbs 

 externally. Tail about twice as long as head and body ; upper 

 caudal scales keeled, lower less distinctly. Brown above, with a 

 darker lateral band, and frequently with irregular transverse series 

 of blue, black-edged spots ; lower surface pale brownish or yellowish. 



From snout to vent 7 inches. 



Hdb. Eastern Himalayas, Khasi hills, Eastern Bengal, Eangoon, 

 Western Yunnan. 



