130 SCINCID^, 



2. Tracheloptychus petersii. 



Tracheloptychus petersi, Grandid. Rev, et Muq. Zool. xxi. 1869, 

 p. 339. 



" Dorsal scales finel)' striated. A light brown band on the middle 

 of the back, between two dark brown streaks. A grej'ish streak 

 and an irregular reddish band with a few small white spots on 

 each side. Manks greyish, barred with white and red. Hind 

 limbs grey ; inner face of thigh Avhitish, with a longitudinal black 

 ^haft. Belly white. Head with scattered black spots." 



s 



Total length 20 centim. 



*& 



Mourounbe. 



Fam. 1«. SCINCID^. 



ScLncoidieus, part., Cnvier, lik/ne Anivi. ii. 1817. 



Scincida;, part., Anguidse, part., Gray, Ann. Phil. (2; x. 1825. 



Cordyloidea, part., Scincoidea, part., Gymnoplithalmoidea, part., 



Fitziw/er, Ncue Classif. Utept. 1826. 

 Lacertte autarch oglossse, part., Augues, part., Wagler, Si/st. Amph. 



1830. 

 Scinci, part., Gymnophthalmi, part., Wieymami, Herp. Mex. 1831. 

 Scincidse, part., Gymnopbthalmidse, part., Rbodonidse, Acontiadse, 



Gray, Ann. N. H. ii. 1838-39. 

 Chalcidieus, part., Sciucoidiens Sarn'opbthalrues et Ophiophthalmes, 



part., DumerilSf Bihron, Erp. Gen. v. 1839. 

 Gymnophthalmidse, part., Scincidse, part., Ophiomoridae, Sepsidae, 



Acontiadse, Gray, Cat. Liz. 1845. 

 Sciucidas, Sepsidse, Acontiidse, Co^ye, Proc. Acad. Philad. 1864. 

 Scincidaj, Boulenger, Ann. ^- 3Iay. N. H. (5) xiv. 1884. 



Tongue moderately long, £i-ee and feebly nicked in front, covered 

 with imbricate scale-like papillae. Dentition pleurodont ; teeth 

 conical, biciLspid, or w ith sphaeroidal or compressed crowns ; the 

 new teeth hollow out the base of the old ones. Pterygoid teeth may 

 be present. 



Prajmaxillary bones two, sometimes incompletely separated ; nasal 

 double ; frontal single or double ; parietal single ; postorbital and 

 postfrontotemporal arches complete, osseous ; interorbital septum 

 and columella cranii well developed ; infraorbital fossa present, 

 bounded by the maxillary, the transverse bone, the palatine, and 

 often also by the pterygoid. Skull with bony dermal plates over- 

 roofing the supratemporal fossa. 



Limbs present or absent ; pectoral and pelvic arches constantly 

 present. Clavi^-le dilated and usually peribratcd proximally ; iuter- 

 claviele cruciform. Ossified abdominal ribs are absent. 



Body protected by bony plates underlying the scales, Avhich are 

 cycloid-hexagonal, rarely rhomboidal, imbricate, arranged quincuu- 

 cially. These plates provided with symmetrical tubules, which 



