240 CLASS REPTILIA. 



and mode of living, of these reptiles, indicate the strongest 

 affinity to anguis. Among them, 



The Anguis Quadrupes is a native of Africa. It is of a 

 shining and greyish colour, and crawls after the manner of 

 serpents. In Barbary its bite is regarded as very dangerous, 

 but without foundation. 



The Cicigna fseps tridactylus) inhabits the southern parts 

 of France, Provence, Italy, Sardinia, and many countries of 

 Africa. Ray found it on the sand of the shore not far from 

 Leghorn. Nicander mentions its existence in Lybia, in Syria, 

 and in the island of Cyprus, and Imperati in the marshy mea- 

 dows of Campania. The ancients believed that its bite was 

 mortal, particularly to mares, and this prejudice exists 

 among the Sardinians at the present day. Sauvages and 

 Cetti have proved that it was an animal altogether innocent. 

 According to the report of Columna and Imperati, it appears 

 to be viviparous. It burrows in the earth on the approach of 

 winter, and falls into a lethargic state. There is a new species 

 in the British Museum, described in the table under the 

 name Cicigna Bifrnettii. 



The Bipeds still marked the gradation to the ophidian 

 order, if, indeed, both they and the bimana may not properly 

 be regarded as belonging to it ; for, as Latreille has well 

 observed, these pretended feet, which have no claws, and 

 are extremely short, may rather be considered as a promi- 

 nence, or even as the organs of generation, than as feet. At 

 all events, our judgment must remain suspended respecting 

 those animals, until repeated observations on many individuals 

 shall enable us to fix it. 



The Chalcjdes, although they have four very short feet, 

 and sometimes claws, are yet extremely remote from the rest of 

 the saurians, and are closely allied to the ophidians, especially 

 to the amphisbenae. Of the manners and habits of this genus, 

 or of the bipedes and bimana, we have nothing to communicate. 



