COMPENDIUM OF GENEKIC DISTINCTIONS. 



775 



Genus. CHAM.ESAURA. Feet undivided, like fins. Back 

 with six series of broad scales. Africa. 



Tribe. GEISSOSA URA .Scales of belly rounded, over- 

 lapping, and covered with thin epidermis. Sides rounded, 

 scaled like the back. Tongue short, flat, narrow, slightly 

 nicked at the end. Head with regular many-sided shields, 

 neck nearly as wide as head. 



Family. GYMNOPHTHALM ID2E. Eyelids rudimen- 

 tary. Teeth of jaws conical, none on palate. Limbs four, 

 weak. No pores on thigh. 



Gemts. CRYTOBLEPHARUS. Head conical, scales smooth. 

 Five toes on each foot. Ears exposed. Australia. 



Family. PYGOPID2E. Pupil of eye round or oblong. 

 Shields of abdomen six-sided, in two or three series. A 

 central series of larger shields on the tail. Fore limbs want- 

 ing, hinder pair very feeble. 



Genus. PYGOPUS. Scales of back keeled. Pores before 

 vent numerous. Hinder limbs rather long. Pupil of eye 

 circular. Australia. 



Genus. DELMA. Scales smooth. No pores before vent. 

 Pupil oval and erect. Hind limbs short. Australia. 



Family. APRASIAD.2E. Nostrils between two shields. 

 Limbs wanting. Scales above and below nearly similar. 

 Pores none. 



Genus. APHASIAS. Same characteristics. Australia. 



Family. LIALISID2E. Head-shields slightly overlap- 

 ping ; cheeks scaly. Nostrils in little scale on ridge of face. 

 Fore limbs wanting ; hinder undivided, short, flat, and scaly. 

 Tail long. Series of pores before vent. 



Genus. LIALIS. Same characteristics. Australia. 



Family. 8CINCID2E. Head conical. Eyelids distinct, 

 xnd capable of closing over eye. Nostrils in a shield ou nose. 

 Limbs four, sometimes hidden under skin. No pores on 

 thigh. 



Genus. SCINCUS. Scales thin, smooth. Rostral plate 

 keeled in front. Tail round, tapering, without spines. Body 

 spindle-shaped, and flat below. Toes five on each foot, flat, 

 and fringed on sides. North Africa. 



Genus. PLESTIODON. Lower eyelid scaly. Limbs strong. 

 Body spindle-shaped, and tail tapering. Scales large. 

 Palate toothed. Africa, America, and Asia. 



Genus. MABOUYA. Lower eyelid transparent. Rest as 

 in Plestiodon. West Indies and Asia. 



Genus. ANGUIS. Body and tail cylindrical, and very 

 long. No external limbs. Head conical and blunt. Teeth 

 rather long and sharp. Lower eyelid scaly and opaque. 

 Europe, Asia, and Africa. 



Genus. TRIBOLONOTUS. Scales thick and wrinkled, 

 those of back strong and spine-like. Body spindle-shaped. 

 Head flat and plated, armed with spines behind. Lower 

 eyelid scaly. Limbs four, and strong ; toes five on each 

 foot. No pores on thigh. Tail compressed, with five spiny 

 keels above. New Guinea. 



Genus. CELESTUS, Body spindle-shaped ; tail round, 

 tapering, not keeled above. Scales grooved. Head flat- 

 tened. Five toes on each foot, the claws small and sharp. 

 West Indies. 



Genus. DIPLOGLOSBUS. Body and tail cylindrical and 

 elongated. Rest as in preceding genus. Tropical America. 



Family. OPHIOMOBID^:. Head shielded, rostral shield 

 triangular and erect. Palate without teeth. Tongue flat, 

 scaly, and with a shallow nick. Ears hidden under skin. 

 Body and tail long and cylindrical; liinbs none. Scaly, 

 smooth, six-sided. 



Genus. OPHIOMOEUS. Only genus. Northern Africa. 



Family. SEPSID.2E. Rostral plate square. Palate tooth- 

 . less, and with a longitudinal groove. Limbs four or two, 

 weak. 



Genus. SPH.BNOPS. Rostral plate long and notched. 

 Head wedge-shaped ; lower eyelid transparent. Legs four. 

 Northern Africa. 



Genus. SEPS. Rostral plate rounded. Head pyramidal. 

 Body long and cylindrical. Lower eyelid with transparent 

 disc. Limbs four ; toes three on each foot. Europe and 

 Northern Africa. 



Genus. GONGYLUS. Body somewhat spindle-shaped. 

 Limbs four ; toes five on each foot. Shores of Mediterranean. 



Family. ACONTLA.D.ZE. Head small and shielded j 

 upper eyelid very small. Tongue scaly. No pores on thigh. 

 Ears minute. 



Genus. ACONTIAS. Limbs none. Southern Africa. 



Family. TYPHLINIDJE. Rostral shield large and cup- 

 shaped. Body and tail cylindrical. Eyes and ears hidden 

 under skin. 



Genus. TYPHLINE. Limbs none. Ventral shield large 

 and single. Southern Africa. 



Family. TYPHLOPSIDJE. Head flat, broad, rounded in 

 front ; rostral plate large, oblong, and erect. Mouth semi- 

 lunar, under the muzzle. Eyes under scales or wanting. 

 Body cylindrical. Tail cylindrical, suddenly contracted, 

 and obliquely convex at tip. 



Genus. TYPHLOPS. Rostral plate very large, turned 

 down in front. Tail short. Asia. 



Genus. ONYCHOFHIS. Rostral shield moderate ; oblong. 

 Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Philippines. 



Genus. ARGYROPHIS. Head flat, rounded ; central shield 

 oblong, arched, and erect. Eyes distinct. Asia and Tro- 

 pical America. 



Sub-order. PACH YGLOSS-3E. Tongue thick and convex, 

 slightly nicked at end. 



Tribe. NYCTISA URA. Scales of back and sides gra- 

 nular ; of abdomen, small and overlapping. Eyes nocturnal, 

 lids circular. Body rather flat. Limbs strong. 



Family. GECKOTIDJE. Only family. 



Genus. PTYODACTYLTJS. Toes slender, dilated at tips, 

 with two diverging series of plates beneath, not webbed. 

 Body simple and tail round. Northern Africa. 



Genus. GECKO. Toes dilated throughout, with a series 

 of transverse membranous plates beneath, last joint short, 

 not webbed. Back with tubercles. 



Genus. THECODACTYLUS. Toes dilated, last joint short, 

 bent under and hidden in notch ; two series of transverse 

 plates beneath, half webbed. Tail granular. Tropical 

 America. 



Genus. PTYcnozoON. Head, body, and tail fringed with 

 deeply-scooped membrane on each side. Toes webbed. 

 Java. 



Genus. TARENTOLA. Toes dilated, with single series of 

 plates beneath two claws on each foot. Rostral shield very 

 long. Europe, Africa, America, and West Indian Islands. 



Genus. SPH.ERODACTYLUS. Toes slender, with single 

 round disc at end. Claws none. Rest like Tarentola. 

 America. 



Genus. PHYLLURUS. Toes clawed, rather dilated at 

 base, long, slender, and joints bent at angle. Tail very flat, 

 tapering, and rounded at tip. New Holland. 



Tribe. STROBILOSAURA.AJ1 scales overlapping. 

 Eyes diurnal, lids valvular, pupils round. 



Family. IGTJANID.S:. Teeth round at root, but leaf- 

 like and toothed on edge, set on inner side of jaws ; young 

 teeth growing at base of others and pushing them forward. 



Genus. POLYCHHUS. Body compressed, and covered 

 with little squared scales arranged in rings. Pores on thigh. 

 Toes slender, not fringed. Back not crested. Throat com- 

 pressed and toothed in front. Eyes prominent. Brazil. 



