392 Mr. Bell on a new Genus of Amj)hhbcB7iid(jc. 



the head, that their existence is only indicated by a slight shade of colour 

 seen through the horny plate. The ears, as in the other genera of the 

 family, are entirely hidden. The anus is transverse, and forms the seg- 

 ment of a circle; the anterior border being furnished with three pairs of 

 plates, of which the outer pair is rounded, the others quadrangular; while 

 the posterior edge has four pairs, the middle pair of which are large and 

 square, the others narrow and somewhat fan-shaped. There are no 

 pores anterior to the anus, as in ^mphisbeena. 



In. Lin. 



Totallengih 8 5 



Length of the head 4 



the tail 1 '2 



Diameter of the body .... 4 



The propriety of applying a distinct generic appellation to this new 

 species of a singular and interesting family, will, I think, appear from the 

 consideration of the characters which I have given in the foregoing 

 description. Whilst the general form, the structure and arrangement of 

 the scales, the cc»ncealed ears and eyes, and the short obtuse tail, point 

 6ut at once its close relation to the other genera of the ^'imphisbccnidce, 

 there are several characters, and those not unimportant, in which it dif- 

 fers from all the genera at present included in that family. Thus by the 

 absence of any external rudiments of members, and the entire conceal- 

 inent of the eyes, it is distinguished from Chirotes, to which it is allied 

 by the depressed lateral line, and by the absence of prae-anal pores. 

 From Amphishcena it differs in the absence of pores and in the more 

 depressed lateral line ; and it wants the broadly shielded thorax of Le- 

 posternon. From all it is strikingly different in the form of the rostrum 

 and of the singular compressed frontal plate, which considerably resem- 

 bles that which characterizes the genus Typhlops. 



Whether we may consider this peculiarity as constituting an approxi- 

 mation to the last named genus, it would perhaps be presumptuous to 

 decide; but the same peculiar structure would indicate a corresponding 

 similarity in their habits ; and I cannot doubt that the hard sharpened 

 and prominent horn which terminates this part, is intended to facilitate 

 the entrance of the animal into masses of closely entangled herbage and 



