HYDROPHIS CURTA. 379 



anterior of which are quadrangular and separated by straight, very narrow, transverse whitish 

 lines ; the middle and posterior are rounded elliptical, each with lighter centre ; a smaller 

 transverse blackish spot behind each large elliptical cross band ; a series of ovate blackish 

 ocelli, each with lighter centre, runs along the side of the back, the ocelli being alternate with 

 the dorsal bands; two other series of small, round, alternate spots along the lower side; 

 belly with numerous blackish dots. Head uniform brownish olive ; tail with two rows of 

 blackish cross bars, the one ascending from the lower side, the other descending from the 

 upper ; the bars of both sides alternate with each other. 



This beautiful species has been received hitherto from the Australian seas only. I have 

 examined three specimens, the larger of which is 44 inches long (cleft of the mouth f inch, 

 tail 5 inches) ; one of the others is the typical specimen. The three figures of the head and 

 that of a portion of the body (P') are taken from the typical specimen. 



Hydrophis anomala. 



Thalassophis auomala, Schmidt, Abhandl. Naturw. Hamb. ii. p. 81. taf. 4. 

 Hydrophis anomala, Fischer, ibid. p. 58. 



Head short, thick, obtuse ; body rather stout. Shields of the snout broken up into smaller 

 pieces ; two pairs of chin-shields, the anterior of which are in contact with each other ; two 

 postoculars. The scales are hexagonal, each with a strong white keel ; they form thirty-one 

 longitudinal series round the highest part of the body. Ventral shields bicarinate, not larger 

 than the adjoining scales, 247-252 in number. Trunk with twenty-six or twenty-seven large, 

 rhombic, bluish-grey transverse spots. 



Two specimens were captured at Samarang, the larger being 32 inches long. 

 Hydrophis curta. 



Hydrus curtus, Shmv, Zool. iii. p. 562. 



Lapemis curtus, Gray, Zool. Misc. p. 60. 



Hydrophis propinquus, Jan, Iconogr. descr. in Rev. et Mag. Zool. 1859. 



Head short, thick, obtuse ; anterior part of the body stout ; body not elongate. The occi- 

 pital shields are always divided into two or more pieces, or entirely broken up into small 

 shields. Two pairs of chin-shields, separated in the middle by small gular scales. Only one 

 postocular. Thirty to thirty-four series of scales round the neck ; 209-252 scales in a lateral 

 series between the angle of the mouth and the vent. Ventral shields nearly twice as broad 

 as the scales of the adjoining series, 156-160 in number. Four small prseanal shields. 

 Fifty to fifty-three black bands across the back ; they are broadest in the middle, nearly 

 touching each other, and tapering on the sides ; the yellowish ground-colour between them 

 does not occupy more space than the bands. Generally the bands do not extend downwards to 

 the belly, but sometimes they are continued as faint traces to the ventral shields, which are 

 white, or, in the specimens with longer cross bands, blackish. A more or less distinct yellowish 

 streak on the temple. Tail black, with only two yellow transverse spots at its root. 



3c2 



