398 COLUBHIDJE. 



Frontal large, at least as long as the snout or the parietals ; one 

 prae- and two or three postoculars ; temporals small and numerous ; 

 7 or 8 upper labials, fourth, or fourth and fifth, entering the eye ; 

 chin-shields small or indistinct. 45 to 57 scales round the body, 

 smooth in the females and young, with one, two, or three small 

 tubercles in the male. Yellowish, with black cross bands or sym- 

 metrical spots, or uniform black above and yellow beneath, with 

 or without black spots ; tail yellowish, with black spots or cross 

 bands. 



Total length 3 feet. 



Hob. This is the most widely distributed Sea-Snake, being found 

 throughout the Indian Ocean and the Tropical or Subtropical 

 Pacific ; the extreme points from which it is recorded being the 

 Persian Gulf, the Cape of Good Hope, the Japanese Sea, Posiette 

 Bay, New Zealand, the west coast of Central America, and 

 Guayaquil. 



Genus HYDROPHIS, 

 Daudin, Hist. Kept, vii, p. 372, 1803. 



Maxillary much longer than transpalatine ; poison-fangs large, 

 followed by a series of seven to eighteen solid teeth. Head small ; 

 nostrils superior ; nasal shields in contact with each other ; head- 



Fig. 118. Head of Hydrophis gracilis. 



shields large. Body long, often very slender anteriorly. Scales 

 on the anterior part of the body imbricate. Ventrals more or leas 

 distinct, small. 



About 20 species are known. 



