426 



SCINCID^. 



three supraoculars ; six supraeiliaries ; interparietal nearly as long 

 as and a little broader than the frontal ; parietals narrow ; loreal 

 and first n])per labial scarcely longer than the rostral ; second 

 labial entering the orbit. 24 scales round the middle of the body, 

 equal. Both pairs of limbs represented by undivided, bud-like 

 rudiments. Pra^anal scales not enlarged. Length of tail one third 

 of the total. Brown, lighter inferiorly, each scale edged with 

 darker. 



From snout to vent 88 millim., tail 43. 



Ceylon. 



R. Templeton, Esq. [P.l. 

 B. H. Barnes, Esq. [P.]. 

 G. H. K. Thwaites,lEsq. [P.]. 

 Col. Beddome [C.]. 



3. Acontias layardii. 



KQont\ii^\pi\?iV([\, Kelaarf, Prodr. Fdim. ZcyL\i, p. 12, and Ann. Sf 

 Mag. N. 7/. (2) xiii. 1854, p. 2() ; Gimtli Rept. Brit. hid. p. 9G. 



Head conical ; snout acuminate, projecting ; ear hidden ; rostral 

 covering not quite half the snout ; mental moderate ; frontonasal as 

 long as the rostral, slightly shorter than the frontal ; latter shield 

 about as broad as long, angulaidy emarginate on each side by the 

 first supraocular ; three supraoculars ; six supraeiliaries ; inter- 

 parietal nearly as long as and a little broader than the frontal ; 

 parietal narrow ; loreal and first labial a little longer than the 

 rostral ; second labial entering the orbit. 22 scales round the 

 middle of the body, equal. Limbs absent. Prseanal scales not en- 

 larged. Length of tail about one third of the total. Brown, each 

 scale edged with darker. 



From snout to vent 74 millim. , tail 34. 



Ceylon. 



a-d. Ad. 

 e-i. Ad. 



Ceylon. 

 Ceylon. 



W. Ferguson, Esq. [P.]. 

 Col. Beddome [C.J. 



4. Acoutias holomelas. (Plate XXVIII. fig. 2.) 

 Acontias holomelas, Gl'nith. Ayin. 4'- Mag. N. H. (4) xix. 1877, p. 313. 



Snout short, obtuse, feebly projecting beyond the labial margin ; 

 mental moderate ; ear hidden ; rostral covering hardly half of the 

 snout ; frontonasal shorter than the rostral, not half as long as the 

 frontal : latter shield longer than broad, angularly emarginate on 

 each side by the first supraocular ; four supraoculars ; six or seven 

 supraeiliaries ; interparietal longer than broad, much narrower than 

 the frontal, not broader than the parietals : third upper labial 

 entering the orbit. 30 to 32 scales round the middle of the body, 

 equal. Limbs absent. Four praeanal scales, median pair a little 



