DISTIEA. 407 



284-314. Young olive or grey above, with black transverse bands, 

 broadest in the middle and tapering to a point on the sides ; in 

 the adult these bands are usually less distinct, some specimens 

 being uniform dark grey above ; sides and lower parts whitish. 



Total length 4 feet. 



Hab. Prom the Persian Gulf, along the coasts of India and 

 Burma to the Malay Archipelago and New Guinea. 



Genus DISTIRA, 

 Lacepede, Ann. du Mus. iv, 1804, p. 210 *. 



Maxillary longer than transpalatine ; poison-fangs large, followed 

 by four to ten solid teeth which are grooved anteriorly. Head 

 moderate or rather small ; nostrils superior ; nasal shields in 

 contact with each other ; head-shields large. Body more or less 

 elongate ; scales on the anterior part of the body imbricate. 

 Ventrals usually more or less distinct, small. 



We know about 14 species. 



Synopsis of Indian, Ceylonese, and Burmese Species. 



A. All the scales strongly imbricate; the 

 ventrals usually in pairs and pointed, except 

 quite anteriorly ; no chin-shields ; 39-47 

 scales round neck, 48-53 round middle of 



body Z). stokesii, p. 408. 



B. Scales on body feebly imbricate, or juxta- 



posed. 

 a. Frontal shield longer than broad. 



'. Two pairs of chin-shields, in contact on 

 middle line, or posterior separated by 

 a single scale. 

 a", A single large anterior temporal ; 



scales on body imbricate, 

 a. 15-17 scales round neck, 19-21 



round middle of body D. jerdonii, p. 408. 



ft. 27-31 scales round neck, .32-35 



round middle of body D. robusta, p. 409. 



y, 38 scales round neck D. tuberculata, p. 409. 



b". Two or three superposed anterior 



temporals. 

 a. Scales on body imbricate. 



a'. 27-33 scales round neck, 39-43 



round middle of body D. cyanocincta, p. 410. 



/3'. 26 or 27 scales round neck, 48 or 



49 round middle of body D. bituberculata, p. 411. 



/3. Scales on body juxtaposed. 30- 

 33 scales round neck, 43-47 round 

 middle of body D. lapemidoides, p. 412. 



* Type: D. major, Shaw (=Hydrus major, part., Shaw, Disteira doliata, 

 Lac6p., Hydrophis mentalis, Gray, Disteira dmnerilii, Jan). 



