196 MR. G. A. BOULENGER ON 



Family TyphlopiDjE. 

 A single genus. 



1. Typhlops. 

 Schneid. Hist. Amph. ii. p. 339 ; Bouleng. Oat. Sn. i. p. 7. 



Synopsis of the Species. 



I. Snout rounded, with or without obtusely angular horizontal edge. 



A. Eye distinguishable. 



Prefrontal more than 3 times as large as supraocular, forming a 

 very narrow suture with the nasal ; snout rounded ; 28 scales 

 round middle of body T. boulengeri. 



Prefrontal not more than twice as large as supraocular, forming a 

 very broad suture with the nasal; snout with obtuse horizontal 

 edge; 24 to 30 scales round middle of body T. punctatus. 



Prefrontal scarcely larger than supraocular; snout with obtuse 



horizontal edge ; 34 scales round middle of body T. viridiflavus. 



B. Eye not distinguishable ; snout with obtuse horizontal edge. 



Nasal cleft proceeding from the first labial ; 26 scales round 

 middle of body; diameter of body 28 to 33 times in total 

 length T. congicus. 



Nasal cleft proceeding from the lower lateral border of the rostral ; 

 30 to 32 scales round middle of body ; diameter of body 

 24 times in total length T. anchiette. 



II. Snout with a more or less sharp horizontal edge. 



A. Eye distinguishable ; preocular present. 



1. Preocular in contact with one or two upper labials. 



28 to 30 scales round middle of body ; diameter of body about 



20 times in total length T. anomalies. 



30 to 38 scales round middle of body ; diameter of body 25 to 37 



times in total length , T. mucruso. 



40 to 44 scales round middle of body ; diameter of body 25 to 30 



times in total length T. schlegelii. 



2. Prasocular separated from the upper labials, the ocular 



being in contact with the nasal ; 24 to 26 scales round 

 middle of body ; diameter of body 67 times in total 

 length T. prceocularis. 



B. Eye not distinguishable. 



Preocular present, in contact with two upper labials ; 22 scales 

 round middle of body ; diameter of body 70 to 74 times in total 

 length .• T. ctscus. 



No preocular ; 24 scales round middle of body ; diameter of body 



60 times in total length T. graueri. 



1. Typhlops boulengeri Bocage, Jorn. Sc. Lisb. (2) iii. 1893, 

 p. 117, and Herp. Ang. p. 64 ; Bouleng. Cat. Sn. iii. p. 586. 



Interior of Benguela. 



2. Typhlops punctatus. 



Acontias punctatus Leach, in Bowdicb, Miss. Ashantee, p. 493. 

 Typhlops punctatus Bouleng. Cat. Sn. i. p. 42 ; Bocage, Herp. 

 Ang. p. 65. 



West and Central Africa, from Senegambia to Angola. 



