2. ornisAUKus. 281 



prjcfrontals on a transverse line; interparietal narro-wcr than the 

 parietals, as broad as or narrower than the occipital ; two shields 

 on a line from the nasal to the azygos pra:frontal ; three supra- 

 oculars and five supraciliaries. Ear-opening distinct, horizontal, 

 slight))' larger than the nostril. Dorsal plates in twelve or fourteen 

 longitudinal series, keeled, the keels much stronger in the young 

 than in the adult ; ventrals in ten longitudinal series, strongly 

 keeled in the young, the keels disappearing with age. A small 

 rudiment of extremities on each side of the anal Hap. Tail once 

 and a half to twice as long as head and body ; upper and lower 

 caudal plates keeled. Erown, lighter inferiorly ; young olive-grey, 

 with dark-brown undulated cross bands on the back and vertical 

 bars on the sides of the head. 



From snout to vent 45 centim. ; tail 65. 



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



Rev. W. Ilennah [P. 

 Sir J. Richardson [P. 



Sir C. Fellows [P.]. 

 Rev. H. B. Tristram [P.]. 

 Rev. II. B. Tristram [ P.]. 

 Rev. H. B. Tristram [P.]. 



Pseudopus apus, forma ornata, Boettg. Zool. Anz. 1881, p. 571, and 

 Abh. Senck. Ges. xiii. 1883, p. 118. 



Flesh-coloured, more greyish along the back, yellowish inferiorly ; 

 head uniform, except a few irregularly scattered black dots ; back 

 with about twenty narrow undulated cross bands, formed of blue, 

 black-edged scales. Xnown from a young specimen. 



Casablanca, Morocco, 



2. Ophisaurus ventralis. 



Ophisaurus ventralis. Gray, Cat, p. 56. 

 Anguis ventralis, Linn. S. N. i. p. 391. 

 Chamjesaura ventralis, ScJineicl. Hid. Aniph. ii, p. :215. 

 Ophisaurus ventralis, Daiid. Hept. vii. p. 3o'2, pi. l.xxxviii. ; Durern. 



R. A., Rept. pi. xxiv. tig. 1 ; Bum. ^- Bibr. v. p. 423; Holbr. N. 



Am. Ilcrp. ii. p. 139, pi. xx. ; Yarrou; Bull. U.S. JVat. M><.<. 



no. 24, p. 46. 

 Ilyalinus ventralis, Merr. Tent. p. 79. 

 Ophisaurus puuctatus, Cnv. R. A. 2ud ed. ii. p. 70. 



striatulus, Cuv. I. c. 



liueatus. Gray, Ann. N. II. i. 1838, p. .391. 



Lati-ral (eeth conical ; teeth on the pterygoids in three to five 

 longitudinal series, forming a liroad baiul ; one or two scries on the 

 palatines. xVzygos pncfrontal usually narrower than the greatest 



