330 TEIID.E. 



Fani. 14. TEIID^. 



Lacertieus, part., Seincoidiens, part., Ciivier, Rhjne Anim. ii. 1817. 

 Tupiuambidce, part., CbalcididEe, part., Gray, Ann. PJiil. {2) x. 1825. 

 Cordyloidea, part., Tachydromoidea, part., Clialcidoidea; Ameivoidea, 



part., Fitzinyer, Neue Classif. Rept. 1826. 

 Teiidffi, Gray, Phil. Mag. (2)"ii. 1827. 

 Autarchoglossse acrodonta et pleuvodouta, part., Waaler, Syst. Amph. 



1830. 

 AmeivEe, Lacertse, part., Chamaesauri, part., Ptychopleuri, part., 



Gymnophthalmi, part., Wieymann, Herp. Mex. 1834:. 

 Lacertiens pleodoutes, Chalcidiens, part., Seincoidiens, part., i)j<w2^n7 



4" Bibron, Erp. Gen. v. 1839. 

 Teid?e, Chalcida?, Anadiadae, Cliiroculidse, Cercosauridae, Gymnoph- 



thalondae, part., Gray, Cat. Liz. 1845. 

 Argaliadce, Gray, Ann. Sf 3Iag. N. H. xviii. 1846, p. 67. 

 Ecpleopoda, Tschudi, Arcli.f. Nat. 1847. 

 Riamidae, Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc, 1858, p. 445. 

 Cercosauri, Peters, Abh. Berl. Ac. 1862. 



Teidse, Chalcididje, Ecpleopidge, Co2)e, Proc. Ac. Philad, 1864. 

 Teidas, Chalcididae, Cope, Proc. Am. Assoc. Adv. Sc. xix. 1871. 

 Teiidae, Boidenyer, Ann. ^ May. N. H. (5) xiv. 1884. 



The tongue is flat, more or less elongate, ending in two long 

 smooth points, the greater part of its surface covered with rhom- 

 boidal, imbricate, scale-like papillte ; in Alopoglossa, these scale-like 

 papillae are replaced by oblique plicte, as in Xcmtusiidce and the 

 Lacertoid genus Tacliydromus. In a few genera the tongue is 

 particularly long and narrow at the base, which is retractile into a 

 sheath ; in the others the tongue is bicuspid posteriorly, the whole 

 organ, when the distal points are close together, being arrow-headed. 



The teeth vary considerably, but are constantly to be distinguished 

 from those of the analogous familj- Lacertidce in not being hollow at 

 the base, the new teeth developing in small sockets at the base of 

 the old ones. In some of the higher forms (Tupi7iamhis, Dracxna, 

 Teius), the lateral teeth are inserted almost on the parapet of the 

 jaws, so that, in fact, they might be termed acrodont ; this dentition 

 is, like that of the " pleurodont " Amphisbsenoids, truly intermediate 

 between the acrodont and the pleurodont. In the other forms the 

 teeth are attached more distinctly to the inner side of the jaws and 

 there is a basal shaft. The praemaxillary teeth are constantly 

 conical ; the laterals may be conical, bicuspid, tricuspid, obtuse or 

 molar-like (adult Tapinambis), or enormous oval crushers (Draccena) ; 

 the bicuspid teeth may be either compressed longitudinally, or per- 

 pendicularly to the jaws (Dicrodon, Teius). Pterygoid teeth are but 

 seldom present, and if so, but feebly developed. 



In the most highly developed forms the skull presents the typical 

 Lacertilian or Cionocranian structure ; but, as we approach the 

 Chalcidine forms, the skull becomes more depressed, the vacuity 

 between the ante- and postorbital portions, and consequentl}- the 

 interorbital septum, become much reduced, the arches weaker, and, 

 at last, we have in Ophiognomon a skull that approaches the Am- 



