OPHIOMORPHA. 121 



OPHIOMORPHA, Nicholson. 



Synonyms, Gymnophyona, Rolleston, Cope, Huxley; 

 Apoda, Bell, Tenney, Swainson; Peromeles, Dumeril 

 and Bibron. 



This order comprises but a single family, Caeciliadae, 

 and hence in the present state of knowledge the same 

 characteristics will answer for both order and family. 

 Should subdivisions ever be made it will then be time 

 enough to provide separate descriptions. 



CJECILIAD^E. 



Body vermiform; limbs wanting; young with internal 

 branchice, and a branchial aperture on each side of the 

 neck; adult with lungs, the left being relatively very 

 small; eyes small, almost concealed, or wanting; skin 

 apparently naked, viscous, with many folds or wrinkles, 

 and containing numerous delicate, horny, rounded, der- 

 mal scales ; tongue large, papillose, fixed in the cavity of 

 the jaw, neither forked nor protusible; nostrils open be- 

 hind the palate ; heart with two cavities, at least the auri- 

 cle not sufficiently divided to be regarded as double; 



