386 BCixciD^. 



14. BRACHYMELES. 



Brachymele?, T}um. ^ Bibr. v. p. 77G ; Gray, Cat. p. 98. 

 Senira, Gray, I. c. 



Palatine bones not meeting on the median line of the palate, 

 which is toothless. Lateral teeth conical. Eye small ; upper 

 eyelid not develo[)cd, lower more or less transparent. Ear distinct 

 or hidden. Xostril in a very small nasal, between the rostral, the 

 first labial, the supranasal. and, sometimes, a postnasal ; proefrontals, 

 frontoparietals, and interparietal present. Body much elongate ; 

 limbs short or rudimentary. 



Philippine Islands. 



The following characters apply to all four species : — Five supra- 

 oculars, first and second in contact with the frontal, second broadest : 

 five or six supniciliaries ; no nuchals ; two loreals ; first upper 

 labial largest : a single Libial entering the orbit ; a single azygos 

 postmental. Digits, if distinct, very short, feebly compressed, with 

 feebly unicarinate lamellte inferiorly. Prseanal scales not or scarcely 

 enlarged. 



Synoj^sis of the Species. 



I. Limbs pentadactyle ; ear-opening distinct. 



A. The length. of the hind limb is contained three or four times 



in the distance between axilla and groin. 



Supranasals in contact behind the rostral ; 



28 or 30 scales round the middle of the 



body 1. schadenbergii, p. 386. 



Supranasals separated; 24 or 26 scales 



round the middle of the body 2. gracilis, p. 387- 



B. The length of the hind limb is con- 



tained seven times in the distance 

 between axilla and groin ; 28 

 scales round the body "3. hicolor, p. 388. 



II. Limbs stump-like ; ear-opening hidden 4. bonitce, p. 388. 



1. Brachy males schadenbergii. 



Senira bicolor, part., Gray, Cat, p. 98. 

 Eumeces (Riopa) sebadenbergi, Fischer, Jahrb. Wiss. Anst. Hamh. 

 ii. 188-j, p. 87, pi. iii. fig. 2. 



The distance between the end of the snout and the fore limb is 

 contained twice to twice and a half in the distance between axilla 

 and groin. Limbs pentadactyle; third, toe slightly longer than 

 fourth. The fore limb, when stretched forwards, does not reach 

 the ear : the length of the hind limb is contained thrice or thrice 



