25. TYPHLACONTIAS. 429 
. 25. TYPHLACONTIAS, 
' Typhlacontias, Bocage, Jorn. Sc. Lisb, iv. 1878, p. 213. 
Teeth conical. Palate toothless, Eyes exposed, without rudi- 
ments of lids. No ear-opening. Nostril pierced in the large 
rostral shield, with the posterior border of which it is connected by 
a slightly curved suture. Body much elongate, limbless. 
South-west Africa. 
1. Typhlacontias punctatissimus. 
Typhlacontias punctatissimus, Bocage, 1. c. 
Snout much projecting, with sharp horizontal edge. Rostral 
and mental very large; a band-like supranasal anda similar fronto- 
nasal; frontal nearly semicircular, posterior border straight; inter- 
parietal enormous, bordered on each side by a narrow parietal which 
meets its fellow posteriorly ; a subocular and two postoculars; five 
upper labials, first largest, second smallest, third below the eye. 
18 longitudinal series of scales. A pair of enlarged preanals. 
Pale grey, a series of black dots along each series of scales, most 
distinct on the sides; sides of head marbled with brown; an 
arrow-headed brown marking, pointing forwards, on the head, from 
the centre of the rostral to the extremity of the interparietal. 
From snout to vent 83 millim., tail 28. 
Mossamedes. 
The following genus is not sufficiently characterized to enter the 
system :— 
Preometes, Grandidier, Rev. et Mag. de Zool. xix. 1867, p. 234. 
“ Preepedito similis, sed auribus minimis; corpore anguiforme ; 
extremitatibus anterioribus nullis, posterioribus parvissimis, com- 
pressis indivisisque. Capite cuneato; dentibus conicis; palato 
edentato; lingua tota squamea, non transversim sulcata nec antice 
emarginata. Squamis non striatis.” 
P. braconnieri. 
“Supra argenteus, squamis dorsi laterumque puncto brunneo- 
nigro centrali notatis, his punctis decem vel duodecim lineas longi- 
tudinales formantibus. Infra albus. Capite nigro maculato,” 
Tullear, Madagascar. : 
