AUSTRALIAN SNAKES. 99 



Yar. a The upper part of the head and the back are uniformly black, 

 the sides and belly uniformly brownish olive ; both colors are sharply defined, 

 and sometimes separated by a yellow band. Tail with large black spots. 



Var. 0- The black of the back and the brown of the sides are sepa- 

 rated by a yellow band, as in Var. «, but there is another black latera 

 band below the yellow one, broken up posteriorly into a series of large 

 round black spots. 



Var. y. The black band of the back is rather narrow, becomes 

 sinuous on or behind the middle of the length of the body, and is broken up 

 posteriorly into a dorsal series of rhombic, and more or less confluent spots, 

 extending downwards on the sides. Sides and belly with rather irregular 

 series of rounded black or brown spots. This variety is intermediate 

 between Var. o and Var. 5, and has been named sinuata. 



Var. 8. Yellow, with about fifty brown black-edged cross-bands, 

 extending nearly to the belly, which again is crossed by narrow vertical 

 brownish-black streaks, alternating with the dorsal bands. Some of the 

 dorsal bands are confluent, forming a zigzag band. Head yellow, variegated 

 with black : H. variegata, Schleg. ; F. ornata, Gray ; varietas alternmis, 

 Fischer. 



This species is one of the most common Sea Snakes, and has the 

 widest geographical range of all the species of this family ; it appears to be 

 found throughout the tropical and subtropical parts of the Indian and 

 Pacific Oceans. We have received specimens captured off the coast of 

 Madagascar, in the sea between Australia and New Zealand ; and the Sea 

 Snakes seen ofi^ the coast of Panama appear to belong to this species. 

 Fischer {I. c.) mentions specimens preserved in the Berlin Museum, and 

 marked "West Coast of Mexico," and the British Museum has received a 

 specimen said to be from Panama. None of the specimens we have 

 examined exceed a length of three feet. (Gimther.) 



The present species occurs more frequently on the Australian Coast 

 than any other Sea Snake ; several gravid females were captured in Botany 

 Bay which contained from four to six young of considerable size. During 

 heavy gales many specimens are thrown ashore along the coast ; they have 

 also been taken in the harbour of Port Jackson. 



