436 DIBAMIDZE. 
Very, sass allied to, if distinct from, the preceding. The only 
importaut difference appears to be that the rostral is shorter in the 
middle than the frontal and interparietal together. 
Nicobars. 
The following genus, if correctly characterized, is probably the 
type of a distinct family. The presence of scale-like papillae on the 
tongue prevents our regarding it as a connecting link between 
Lizards and Snakes, as suggested by Bocage. 
OPHIOPSISEPS. 
Ophioseps (non Blyth), Bocage, Jorn. Sc. Lisb. iv. 1873, p. 231. 
“Eyes without lids, surrounded by a complete ring of narrow 
plates; tongue flat, scaly, slightly nicked at the extremity ; teeth 
extremely small, in the lower jaw only. No ear-openings. Body 
very long, cylindrical ; tail measuring nearly one fourth of the total 
length, tupering slightly at the end, which is obtuse and covered by 
a semicircular scale. No limbs; no preanal pores. Scales com- 
paratively large, with rounded free edge. Head short, flattened 
above, with rather prominent and strongly swollen snout. Scaling 
of the head approaching the Ophidian type, and presenting the 
_ following remarkable peculiarities :—nasal shields enormous, meet- 
ing on the upper surface of the snout behind the rostral, and 
descending on each side to the edge of the jaw; behind the nasals 
two contiguous frontonasals, descending on the sides of the snout 
to join the first labial; a much developed frontal; a single pre- 
ocular and a postocular. Nuchal region, immediately behind the 
frontal and the supraoculars, covered with imbricate scales similar | 
to those on the neck. Nosupranasals; no loreals. Four upper and 
three lower labials.” 
Ophiopsiseps nasutus. 
Ophioseps nasutus, Bocage, I. ¢. p. 232. 
Fourteen scales round the middle of the body. Three large trian- 
gular preanal seales. General colour fulvous, more cinereous on the 
sides ; upper surfaces and sides with parallel series of small black 
shafts occupying the centre of each scale. 
Total length 185 millim., tail 52. 
Australia. 
