MANUAL OF NATURAL HISTORY. 59 



longitudinal fold, with small granular scales ; 

 ears distinct ; eyes with two valvular lids ; 

 limbs 4, strong, rarely wanting, or hid 

 under skin. 



6. Family. — Short-legged Lizards (Brachypodidse). 



Head-shields regular, many-sided ; temples 

 shielded. — Tongue squamose, with two small 

 pointed-tips ; palate toothless ; nostrils late- 

 ral; eyelid distinct; ears hidden ; limbs 4, 

 rudimentary; femoral pores none; body elon- 

 gate, cylindrical ; lateral fold indistinct ; 

 scales of back and tail 4 or 6-sided, imbri- 

 cate, in cross bands, — of belly square. 



7. Family. — Arg alias (Argaliidse). Head-shields 



regular ; cheeks, eyelids, and eye-brows 

 shielded ; lower eyelid scaly, opaque ; nos- 

 trils lateral, anterior ; body subcylindrical ; 

 sides rounded, smooth; scales in thin, smooth, 

 imbedded, transverse series, scarcely overlap- 

 ping ; of back, sides, and tail 4-sided, longer 

 than broad, in alternating series, — of belly and 

 under side of tail in longitudinal series, — of 

 limbs oblong ; limbs rather short, strong ; 

 femoral pores distinct, numerous ; claws 

 short, compressed ; tail cylindrical, tapering. 



8. Family. — Anadias (Anadiidse). Head-shields 



regular, many-sided ; ears distinct ; eyelids 

 distinct ; scales of back and sides squarish, 

 6-sided, thin, smooth, imbedded, in alternat- 

 ing cross rings, of belly 4-sided, of tail 4- 

 sided, in rings, one behind another, forming 



