452 DR. J. E. GRAY ON THE AMPHISBENIANS. [May 23, 
*« T. macrocephalum, Miller” (fide A. Smith). 
Amphisbena punctata, Neuwied, Abh. 
Lepidosternon maximilianus, Wiegmann. 
Head short, broad ; the vertebral plate broader than long, six- 
sided ; frontal short, broad, band-like ; parietal small, square ; ocular 
higher thau broad. 
Hab. Brazil, Rio (Dr. Gardner, B. M.). 
The specimen in the British Museum has the shields on each side 
of the central line of the sternal disk united into an elongate shield, 
which is not symmetrical on the two sides, and appears like an acci- 
dental peculiarity. 
In the Free Museum at Liverpool there are two specimens of this 
species, obtained by Mr. Jobert in Brazil. They are similar, but 
show that the sternal plates are liable to coalesce and form larger 
plates in an unsymmetrical manner. 
In the larger specimens the first series of sternal plates on each 
side of the central line are united into longitudinal shields, which 
are not of equal length. The series of plates on the outer side of 
them are separate, but not quite symmetrical. 
In the other specimen, which is rather smaller, the first series of 
sternal plates on the sides of the central line, and the second series 
on the outside of it on the right side, and second and third series 
on the left side, are united into longitudinal parallel plates, which are 
of unequal length, the two central ones being the longest, and the 
two outer plates on the left side much longer than the outer one on 
the right side. 
The head-shields in both these specimens are exactly alike, the 
central crown-shield being much broader than long ; the hinder pair 
of frontal shields rather shorter than the front pair, and narrower on 
the central edge by the angular front edge of the crown-shield ; the 
two pairs of occipital shields are shorter than broad, the hinder pair 
being the smaller, and in one instance coalesced on one side with the 
plate of the front pair. 
They all have a brown spot on the centre of each of the dorsal 
scutella. 
** Sternal plates all separate, symmetrical. Sphenocephalus. 
2. LeprIpOSTERNON GRAYII, A. Smith, MS. Brit. Mus. 
Head rather short, broad; the vertebral plate hexagonal, elon- 
gate, as long as broad; the frontal plate very short and broad ; 
the parietal shields oblique ; the occipital much longer than broad ; 
temporal shields larger on the side of the occipital; plates of the 
sternal disk symmetrical, in oblique diverging lines. 
Hab. South America? (Brit. Mus.). 
Sternal disk formed of four diverging lines of uniform, similar- 
sized, symmetrical shields; the shields on the central line smaller, 
being divided down the centre by a straight suture. 
In 1848, Dr. (now Sir Andrew) Smith sent to the British Museum 
