HYDEOPHIKSr^. 393 



4 lower labials in contact ^^dth the anterior cliin-shields, which are 

 as long as the posterior or a little longer. 19 or 21 scales across 

 the neck, 15 across the middle of the body. Ventrals 215-262 ; 

 anal entire ; subcandals 80-117, the anterior usually single. 

 Yellowish brown, or olive, with more or less marked dark cross 

 bands ; young usually black, with yellow rings on the body and 

 yellow cross bands on the head, sometimes covered above with 

 light spots and with whitish black-edged ventral and subcaudal 

 shields. 



The largest specimen in the British Museum measures 13 feet, 

 the tail being about one fifth the total length. 



From its larger size and fiercer habits this snake is still 

 more dangerous than the Cobra ; it is fortunately less common. 

 It inhabits Southern India, Orissa, Bengal, Assam, Burma, the 

 Andamans, 8iara, the Malay Peninsula, Java, Borneo, Sumatra, 

 and the Philippines. It feeds principaUy on snakes. 



Subfamily VI. HYDROPHIINiE. 



Marine. Tail strongly compressed, with the neural spines and 

 hypapophyses very much developed. 



Sea-snakes are easily recognized by their strongly compressed 

 oar-shaped tail. With the exception of Plaiuriis, which in many 

 respects approaches the Elapiiw', they never leave the \\ater. 

 They are viviparous. Their home is essentially the coasts of the 

 Indian Ocean and the tropical parts of the AVestern Pacific, from 

 the Persian Gulf to New Guinea and North Australia; one 

 species, however {Uydrun platums), ranges from West and South 

 Africa to the western coast of tropical America, as far north as 

 Japan and Peter the Great Bay, Manchuria, and as far south as 

 New Zealand. 



Of the nine genera, six occur on the Indian and Burmese 

 coasts. 



Synopsis of Indian and Burmese Genera. 



A. Only the poison-fangs are grooved. 



a. Mental shield triangular ; no mental groove. 

 a'. Nostrils lateral ; maxillary bone much 

 shorter than transpalatine ; a single small 

 solid maxillary tooth (Fig. 116, A.) ; ven- 

 tral shields large Platuhus, p. 394. 



b'. Nostrils on top of snout 



a''. Maxillary slightly longer than transpala- 

 tine ; 2 to 5 solid teeth on each maxil- 

 lary (Fig. 116, B.) ; body short ; snout 



short Enhydris, p. 396. 



//'. Maxillary much longer than transpala- 

 tine ; 7 or 8 solid teeth on each maxil- 

 lary (Fig. 116, C.) ; body short; snout 



long " llYDBUs, p. 397. 



c". Maxillary much longer than transpala- 

 tine; 7 to 18 solid teeth on each maxillary IIyerophis, p. 398. 



