1853.] Notices and Descriptions of various Reptiles. 655 



generally close within the grooves into which they fit ; the head 

 meanwhile being raised, and the long body arched, — an attitude 

 which most of the specimens assumed when immersed in spirit. 



The following is a remarkable limbless lizard from Rangoon, ob- 

 tained by purchase. 



Ophiseps, nobis, n. g. Form anguine, of nearly uniform bulk 

 throughout, tapering suddenly at the extremity of the tail ; no ex- 

 terior trace of limbs ; and the vent placed in the middle of the entire 

 length ; the body above, and tail above and below, covered with 

 parallel ranges of quadrilateral keeled scales, the throat and belly 

 with hexagonal smooth scales, and the tapering extremity of the 

 tail with imbricated and rounded scales. A groove on each side 

 from shoulder to vent. Tongue obtusely forked : no palatal teeth ; 

 but a single row of small maxillary teeth : the triangular incision of 

 the palate large. Eyes rather small, lacertine ; the lids scaly. 

 Tympanum small. Nostrils small, lateral. Head conical, somewhat 

 compressed in front ; the cleft of the mouth extending to beyond 

 the eye. Rostral plate small, broad, triangular ; it and the nasals 

 and anterior labials surmounted by numerous small plates and larger 

 representatives respectively of a posterior nasal and united fronto- 

 nasals. Frontal shield large, heptagonal with posterior base ; and 

 the parietal inequilaterally pentangular, with anterior base. Fronto- 

 parietals quadrangular. The streaks of the chin are sub-quadrangu- 

 lar and placed obliquely. Along the median ridge of the back the 

 parallel ranges of scales alternate, but not upon the tail. 



0. tessellatus, nobis, n. s. Length of specimen 12i in., of 

 which the tail measures 6^ in. Colour pale dingy buff-yellow, paler 

 below, with numerous plumbeous spots on the anterior half of the 

 body above, composed of scales of that colour, some detached, others 

 placed contiguously to form transverse bands more or less imperfect ; 

 all the scales being highly lustrous. There are 14 parallel ranges 

 of them above, from lateral groove to groove, and 8 such ranges 

 below. From Rangoon. 



(To be continued.) 



