400 COLUBEIJD^. 



boiilal, sraootli or feebly keeled, feebly imbricate auteriorly, juxta- 

 posed posteriorly. Ventrals distinct auteriorly, 235 (-306). Uui- 

 forin blackish. 



Total length 3 feet. 



Hob. Beugal and Cuttack coasts. 



493. Hydrophis csBrulescens. 



Hydras cserulesceus, Shaw, Zool. iii, p. 5U1. 

 Enhydris cferidesceus, Merr. Tent. p. 140. 

 . Hydi'opbis cffirulescens, Gray, Zool. Misc. p. 62 ; G'dnth. Rept. B. I. 

 p. 305, pi. XXV, fig. C. 



Head very small ; anterior part of body very slender, its dia- 

 meter about one third the depth of the posterior part. Eostral 

 broader than deep ; frontal longer than broad, shorter than its 

 distance from the rostral, ninch shorter than the parietals ; one 

 prse- and one postocular ; two superposed anterior temporals ; 7 

 upper labials, third and fourth entering the eye ; chin-shields very 

 small, posterior pair separated by scales. 35 to 38 scales round 

 the neck, 48 to 50 round the middle of the body ; scales rhom- 

 boidal, imbricate, with a strong short keel, Ventrals distinct 

 throughout, 294—309. Grey above, with black cross bands, 

 broader on the back, which form complete rings, or are interrupted 

 on the belly ; head uniform black. 



Total length 2 feet. 



llah. Bombay coast, Bay of Bengal, Straits of Malacca. 



494. Hydrophis nigrocinctus. 



Russell, Tnd. Serp. \\, jol. vi. 



Hydrophis nigrocinctus, Daud. Rept. vii, p. 380; Dtan. Sf Bihr. Rip. 



Gen. vii, p. 3350 (part.) ; Gi'mth. Rept. B. I. p. 308, pi. xxv, 



fig. L ; Fayrer, Thanatoph. pi. xxv. 



Head small ; anterior part of body slender, its diameter about 

 two fifths the depth of the posterior part. Eostral broader than 

 deep ; nasals shorter than the frontal, about twice as long as the 

 suture between the prefrontals; frontal longer than broad, as long 

 as its distance from the end of the snout, shorter than the 

 parietals ; one prse- and one or two postoculars ; a small loreal 

 sometimes preseiit ; 7 upper labials, third and fourth entering the 

 eye, second and fourth largest; two superposed anterior temporals; 

 two pairs of subequal chin-shields, posterior separated by scales. 

 27 or 29 scales round the neck, 39 round the middle of the body ; 

 scales imbricate, rhombic, keeled. Ventrals distinct, but feebly 

 enlarged, 317-331. Pale olive above, yellowish beneath, with 

 black annuli, which are broadest on the back. 



Total length 40 inches. 



Hab. Bay of Bengal and Straits of Malacca. 



