THE ANGUINE LIZARD. 



of the abdomen are squared and arranged longitudinally in six rows. There are four 

 short legs, with five toes on each foot, the thumb of the fore limbs being only rudiment- 

 ary. The color of the Chirocole is brown, with a pale streak on each side. 



THE fourth family is the CERCOSAURIDJE, containing two genera. These animals have 

 the ears distinct, the throat with a double series of shields, and the collar distinct. On 

 the back and upper part of the tail the scales are large, boldly keeled, and arranged 

 into a regular longitudinal series. The scales of the under portions are squared and 

 flat. There are four limbs, each with five unequal toes. A good type of this family 

 is afforded by the EYED CERCOSAURUS (Cercosaura ocellatd). The body of this creat- 

 ure is long and rather cylindrical. Its color is black with four white streaks, the head 

 and the under parts are yellowish, and the sides are sprinkled with green, and variegated 

 with eight or nine white spots edged with black. 



ANQUINB LIZARD. Chamxsaura angulna. 



OUR last example of the Cyclosaurian reptiles is the ANGUINE LIZARD, or CHA- 

 MJESAURA, the only representatative of its family. 



The Anguine Lizard is a native of Southern Africa, and is obtained from the Cape of 

 Good Hope ; of its habits there is but little known. It is a curious-looking creature, 

 exceedingly snake-like in general appearance, its four limbs being of the most rudiment- 

 ary character, small, delicate, feeble not even separated into toes at the extremity, but 

 ending in a single claw as if the whole limb were only composed of one small joint. 

 These imperfect limbs are wholly useless for progression, those of the anterior extremity 

 being hardly larger than the long narrow scales with which the body is covered, and 

 the hinder pair exhibiting but very little more development. 



So perfectly serpentine is the form of this creature that the mark of separation be- 

 tween the tail and body is so slightly defined that the precise line of junction is almost 

 invisible, whereas in the common blindworm, itself a most snake-like reptile, the line of 

 demarcation is plainly shown by a decided diminution in the diameter. The tail is 

 very long and slender, measuring more than twice the length of the body. 



The head of the Anguine Lizard is covered with regular many-sided shields, and the 

 temples and the whole of the body and tail are clothed with scales, their edges projecting 

 boldly, and arranged in a series of regular rings or " whorls." Along the back there are 

 six rows of broad scales, and on the sides and abdomen the scales are long, narrow, and 

 w ; .h a decided keel running along their central line. There is no groove along the sides. 



