HYDROPHIS ASPERA. 365 



the neck. Scales but little imbricate, subtruncated behind, those on the highest part of the 

 body as broad as long, each with a short keel. Ventrals 317 in number, more than twice as 

 broad as the scales of the adjoining series, without keel or tubercle. Four large anal shields. 

 The tail terminates in a very large, forked scale. Back brownish olive, with blackish cross 

 bands anteriorly, separated by yellowish transverse streaks ; the bands become very indistinct 

 towards the middle of the length of the animal. Head and throat blackish ; a horseshoe- 

 like yellowish mark on the crown of the head, resting with its convex anterior portion on the 

 frontal shields. Sides and belly yellowish. 



Only the typical specimen of this species is known ; it is from New Guinea, and 34 inches 

 long, the cleft of the mouth measuring J inch, the tail S\ inches. 



Hydropiiis cjerulescens. (Plate XXV. figs. C, C.) 



Hydrus coerulesceus, Shaw, Zool. iii. p. 561. 



Hydropiiis coerulesceus, Gray, Zool. Misc. p. 62. 



hybrida, Schleg. Abbildg. p. 115. taf. 37. Fischer, Abhandl. Naturiu. Hamb. iii. p. 74. 



Head rather small, of moderate width ; neck and body somewhat elongate ; eye small. 

 One labial shield below the eye; one postocular; three or four small temporal shields on 

 the side of each occipital, the anterior being the largest ; two pairs of small chin-shields, the 

 posterior of which are separated from each other by small scales. Thirty-seven to thirty- 

 eight series of scales round the neck. Scales slightly imbricate, strongly keeled, those on the 

 posterior half of the body as high as long, and subtruncated behind. Ventral shields distinct^ 

 but not much larger than the scales of the adjoining series, bituberculate, 294(-300)-309 in 

 number ; six prseanal shields, the outer of which are the larger. Terminal scale of the tail 

 small. Yellowish, with from thirty-seven to forty-six rhombic blackish spots on the back ;_ 

 they are broadest on the vertebral line, nearly touching one another; they either do net 

 descend to the middle of the side, or are continued to the belly as fain.t greyish, cross bands. 



I have examined ten specimens of this species, one of which is the type of E. ccendescens, 

 Shaw. They are from the Bay of Bengal and from Pinang;; Schlegel's H. hi/bridus was 

 brought from Java. The largest specimen is 2 feet long. 



We have given an upper and a lateral ^aew of the- head (fig. C), of the natural size ;^ arijd a 

 side view of a portion of the body (fig. C). 



HyDROPHIS ASPERA. 



Hydrophis aspera, Grmj, Viper. Snakes,, p. 53. 



Head of moderate size and width ; neck and body somewhat elongate. Two labial shields 

 below the eye ; rostral shield of moderate size, rather broader than high ; two postoculars ; 

 three temporal shields on the side of each occipital, the anterior being the largest ; two pairs 

 of chin-shields, which are in contact with one another. Thirty series of scales round the 



