NATURAL HISTORY. 
27 
ROOM X.] 
two small rudimentary subulate front legs, and none be¬ 
hind; and the Blindworms ( Angues ) have only rudiments 
of legs quite concealed beneath the skin. 
The family of Gymnophthcilmidce (Case 5) chiefly 
differ from the former in their eyes being always exposed, 
and destitute of any lid, like the serpents, as Microlepis, 
Ablepharis ,, which have four legs with divided toes; the 
Cuminia with four rudimentary tapering legs, undivided at 
the end; and Lerista , which have only two hinder limbs. 
The family of Rhodonidce (Case 5) differ from the Seines 
in having a large, depressed, sharp edged rostral plate with 
the nostrils in its upper part. Their eyelids are rudiment¬ 
ary, as Rhodona and Soridia. 
The family Aprctsiadce differs from the other families 
in the shields of the head, and in the nostrils being placed 
in the suture between the top of the front upper labial 
and the anterior frontal plates; they have no ears. The 
Aprasia has no limbs, while the Brachymeles , which 
also appears to belong to this family, has four rudimentary 
legs, each divided into two toes. 
The family of Pygopidce have only two rudimentary 
compressed undivided limbs on the side of the vent. The 
nostrils are in the suture between the outer angle of the 
nasal and the front loreal shield, the ears are distinct, and 
the belly has two or four series of broad six sided ventral 
shields, and the tail three series of broad shields, the cen¬ 
tral ones broader than the rest. The Pygopi have keeled 
dorsal scales, a series of preanal pores, and a round pupil. 
The Delmce have small scales, an elliptical erect pupil, no 
preanal pores, and shorter limbs. 
The family of Lialisidce are like Pygopidce in appear¬ 
ance, and have similar, but more rudimentary limbs on 
the side of the vent; but the head is covered with small 
scales. All the specimens of the four former families are 
confined to Australia. 
In the family of Acontiadce (Case 5) the face and chin 
are each enclosed in a large cap-shaped shield; the upper 
one is pierced with the nostrils, which have a groove to 
its hinder edge. Their bodies are nearly cylindrical, with 
blunt ends, and the limbs are hidden under the skin. 
The remainder of the Saurian Reptiles have a short 
contractile tongue, slightly notched at the end. 
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