1865.] DR. J. E. GRAY ON THE AMPHISBENIANS, 443 
however detailed and particular the description may be; and ina 
comparative review of the species of a group or order the distinctions 
be stated in a more condensed form. 
The Amphisbzenians are very rarely collected; hence few species 
are found in museums and noticed in systematic catalogues. This is 
explained by their living almost exclusively in the nests of ants, and 
being seldom seen by the casual observer. There is reason to believe 
that every country which has ants has some form of Amphisbeenians. 
Until lately they were thought to be confined to Tropical America, 
though one was described by Vandeli as occurring in Spain as long 
ago as 1780; but his essay and the animal itself were alike so little 
known to naturalists, that Professors Hemprich (in 1820) and Wagler 
each described Vandeli’s species as new, the latter as a South-Ame- 
rican species. Professor Kaup described a species from North Africa 
in 1830, and M. Gervais redescribed it as new in 1835. MM. Du- 
méril and Bibron have described a specimen in the Leyden Museum 
from Guinea; Dr. Andrew Smith one as occurring at the Cape, and 
Dr. Peters has added another from the east coast of Africa. The 
number of African species is in this essay raised to seven. As yet 
none have been received from Asia Proper; but Sir Charles Fellows 
brought from Xanthus the same species that is found in Spain, 
Portugal, and North Africa. 
The following table shows the geographical distribution of the 
species here recorded :— 
EASTERN HEMISPHERE. 
Fam. Trogonophide. 
1. Trogonophis wiegmanni. N. Africa. 
Fam. Amphisbenide. 
- Blanus cinereus. Spain, N. Africa, Asia Minor. 
. Amphisbena?® violacea. East Africa. 
. Cynisca leucura, Guinea. 
. Baikia africana. W. Africa. 
or & © bo 
Tribe Cephalopeltine. 
6. Monotrophis capensis. . S. Africa. 
7. Dalophia welwitschii. W. Africa. 
WESTERN HEMISPHERE. 
Fam. Chirotide. 
1. Chirotes lumbricoides. Mexico. 
Fam. Amphisbenide. 
. Amphisbena alba. Brazil. 
. dA. americana. British Guiana. 
. A. petrei. Brazil. 
. A. vermicularis. Brazil. 
. A. darwinii. Monte Video, Buenos Ayres. 
Oo ob 
