REPTILIA. 281 



Sp. Typhlops Delalandii Mus. Par. L. B., SCHLEG. Abb. PI. 32, figs. 17 

 20, Cape of Good Hope; Onychocephalus nigrolineatus HALLOWELL, 

 Journal of the Academy of not. Sc. of Philad. Sec. Ser. n. p. 301, PI. 28, 

 fig. I, Liberia. 



TRIBE II. Amphicephali. 



Tongue short, thick, posteriorly bilobed, anteriorly with apex 

 double, narrow, very short. Branches of lower jaw conjoined 

 anteriorly by symphysis. 



If the separation of the lower jaw, and the narrow, forked, exten- 

 sile tongue be made the characteristic of the order of serpents, then 

 the genus Amphisbcena ought to be removed from it, and placed 

 amongst the lizards. This is the opinion of modern authors, and 

 may in fact be justified by the resemblance between some lacertine 

 animals (Ophisaurus, Pseudophis) and Amphisbcena. The row of 

 pores in front of the cloacal aperture corresponds to the pori f&mo- 

 rales which are met with in many Saurii. 



Family XV. Amphisbcence WIEGM. Teeth in intermaxillary 

 bone, in upper and lower jaw-bones; upper and lower teeth 

 alternating and interlocking when the mouth is closed; palatine 

 and pterygoid bones edentulous. Trunk cylindric; skin ringed 

 with numerous deep, circular folds ; rings divided by longitudinal 

 inscriptions into small rectangular areas resembling scales. Head 

 scutate. Eyes small, covered by scute. Tail short. 



Amphisbcena L. Feet none. 



a) Teeth concrete with jaws. 



Trogonophis KAUP, FITZ., DUM. Anal pores none. Tail conical. 



Sp. Amphisbcena Wiegmanni nob., Trogonophis Wiegmanni KAUP, Isis 1830, 

 p. 880, Tab. 8, fig. i, Amphisbcena elegans GERVAIS, GUERIN Magas. de 

 ZooL 1837, Rept. PI. ii ; yellow, with red brown, four-sided spots, 

 arranged like a chess-board; this species occurs on the north coast of 

 Africa. 



b) With teeth adhering internally to the margin of jaws. 



Lepidosternon WAGL. Head short, conical. Anal pores none. 

 Tail round, obtuse. Some larger, irregular scutes, behind the 

 throat. 



Sp. Amphisbcena microcephala nob., Lepidostemum microcephalum WAGL., 

 Amphisbcena punctata MAXIM. Pr. v. WIED (not BELL), Abb. zur Natur- 



I! 



