MANUAL OF NATURAL HISTORY. 63 



19. Family. — Seps (Sepidse). Body fusiform or 



subcylindrical, elongate; tongue flat, scaly, 

 nicked; teeth conical, simple; palate tooth- 

 less ; rostral rather large, square ; scales 

 smooth ; toes simple, unequal, clawed ; tail 

 conical, pointed. 



20. Family— .4 contias (Acontiidse). Body cylin- 



drical ; head small, shielded ; muzzle coni- 

 cal; upper eyelid small or wanting; ears 

 very small or hidden; tongue scaly, imbri- 

 cate, nicked; rostral large, cup-like; scales 

 smooth ; limbs 4, very short, or none ; femo- 

 ral pores none 



C. Eyes hidden under shin. 



21. Family. — African Blind-Lizards (Typhlinidse). 



Body and tail cylindrical ; head conical ; chin 

 with a cup-like shield ; rostral rather large, 

 cup-shaped; ears hidden; scales smooth, equal, 

 6-sided ; limbs 2, posterior undivided, or none. 



22. Family. — Blind-Lizards (Typhlopidse). Body 



cylindrical, sometimes larger behind ; head 

 broad, depressed; nostrils lateral; tongue 

 elongate, flat, forked; mouth small, lineate, 

 inferior ; rostral elongate ; scales 6-sided, 

 smooth. 



23. Family. — Rough-Tails (Uropeltidse). Body cy- 



lindrical; head conical, compressed; nostrils 

 roundish, lateral ; tongue elongate, flat, fork- 

 ed; eyebrow-shields none; rostral produced, 

 erect, convex; scales 6-sided, smooth; vent 

 with three scales in front. 



