864 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXVI. 



No XXIX.— REPLY TO DR. MALCOLM SMITH'S REMARKS 

 IN THE LAST JOURNAL. 



In answer to Dr. Malcolm Smith's criticism in the last Journal (p. 682) on 

 my identification of his specimens sent from Siam, which I considered to be 

 Hydrophii> cyanocinctus (Daudin) {vide Bombay Natural History Journal 

 Vol. XXV, p. 754), I would like to make the following reply. 



My conception of Hydrophis cyanocinctus is based upon well over one 

 hundred specimens collected from an extensive area, viz., Persian (iulf, 

 Coast of Sind, W, Coast of India especially Bombay and Cannanore, 

 the Coast of Ceylon, the E. Coast of India especially Madras, Orissa, and 

 the Sunderbunds, Chittagong, and the Coasts of Burma and Tenasserim. 

 In addition 1 have examined all the sea-snakes, in the British Museum, 

 upon which the descriptions in Boulenger's Catalogue are based. (Vol III, 

 1896.) The specimens described by Dr. Malcolm Smith as H. siamensis 

 (Journal Natural History Society, Siam, Vol. II, 1917, p. 341), which 

 I consider II. cyanocinctm are all from a small area, viz, the Coast of Siam. 



The differences he claims for his siamensis as opposed to cyanocinctus 

 (Daudin) 1 will deal with in detail. 



For easy reference I append in column A my range of costals and ven- 

 trals for what I consider cyanocinctus. In column B are those given by 

 Dr. Malcolm Smith for his siamensis. 



A. B. 



cyanocinctus. siamensis. 



(1) Costals two heads lengths behind (1) neck 29 to 35, 



head 25 to 36. 



(2) Costals at midbody 33 to 44. (2) maximum girth 35 to 42. 



(3) Ventrals 280 to 397. (3) 271 to 343. 



It will be noticed that Dr. Malcolm Smith's figures are completely 

 contained within mine. 



(2) The frontal. Dr. Malcolm Smith places reliance on the frontal 

 shields, but I find that the length of the frontal, and the length of the 

 snout vary a good deal in individuals of the same species. 



(3) Temporals. With regard to the temporals, by Dr. Malcolm Smith's 

 own showing, these are aberrant in 33 per cent, of his specimens! It is 

 diHicult to see therefore how he can place any reliance on these shields in 

 establishing his siamensis as a species. 



(4) Dentition. Dr. Malcolm Smith remarks that in one place I have 

 noted the posterior maxillary teeth of cyanocinctus as 6 to 8, and that in 

 his specimens from Siam 1 count them 8 to 9, doubtfully 10. As my skull 

 collection enlarges 1 frequently have to modify previously expressed views, 

 and a slight increase of previously reported figures is to be expected. In 

 lU specimens of cyanocinctus in the Indian Museum I found the variation 

 6 to 10. lu at least 12 others they range again from 6 to 10. 



(5) Lenyth. Dr. Malcolm Smith says his Siam specimens do not 

 exceed 1,000 mm., whereas cya7ioci7ictus grows to 1885 mm., and he seems to 

 think that the fact that seven of his specimens were gravid clinches the matter 

 of length. However it is very well known that snakes grow considerably 

 after attaining sexual maturity. My breeding notes on many species 

 abundantly illustrate this. As an example let us refer to Mr. D'Abreu's 

 note in this Journal on the breeding of Python ii-olurus (Vol. XXV, p. 509). 

 Here the lengths of the parents are noted as $ 8 feet 6 inches, and J 5 

 feet 8 inches. It would not be sound to argue from this that a snake 5 

 feet 8 inches long, and sexually mature should be considered of a different 

 species from one that well authenticated records show reaches over 19 

 feet. 



