DISTIRA. 407 



284-314. Young olive or grey above, with black transverse bands, 

 broadest iu the middle and tapering to a point on the sides ; in 

 the adult these bands are usuaUy less distinct, some specimens 

 being uniform dark grey above ; sides and lower parts whitish. 



Total length 4 feet. 



Hah. From the Persian Gulf, along the coasts of India and 

 Burma to the Malay Archipelago and New Guinea. 



Genus DISTIRA, 

 Lacepede, Aun. du Mus. iv, 1804, p. 210*. 



Maxillary longer than transpalatine ; poison-fangs large, followed 

 by four to ten solid teeth which are grooved anteriorly. Head 

 moderate or rather small ; nostrils superior ; nasal shields in 

 contact with each other ; head-shields large. Body more or less 

 elongate ; scales on the anterior part of the body imbricate. 

 Ventrals usually more or less distinct, small. 



We know about 14 species. 



Sijnopsis of rndiaa, Cei/hnese, and Burmese Species. 



A. All the scales strongly imbricate ; tlie 

 ventrals usually iu pairs and pointed, except 

 quite anteriorly ; no obiu-sliields ; 39-47 

 scales round neck, 48 -"i."} round middle of 



body JX dohesii, p. 408. 



r>. Scales on bodj- feebly imbricate, or juxta- 

 posed. 

 a. Frontal shield lon'oer than broad. 



a' . Two pairs of chin-sbields, in contact on 



middle line, or posterior separated by • 



a single scale. 

 a". A single large anterior temporal ; 

 scales on body imbricate. 

 a. lo-17 scales round neck, 10 21 



round middle of body 1). jerdonii, p. 408. 



(i. 27-31 scales round neck, •■i2 3o 



round middle of body 1). rohusta, p. 409. 



y. 38 scales round neck D. tidierculata, p. 409. 



//'. Two or three superposed anterior 

 tempm-als. 

 a. Scales on body imbricate. 



a'. 27-33 scales round neck, 39-43 



round middle of bod}' D. cyanocincta, p. 410. 



^'. 26 or 27 scales round neck, 48 or 



49 round middle of body D. bituherculata, p. 411. 



/3. Scales on body juxtaposed. 30- 

 33 scales round neck, 4.3-47 round 

 middle of body I), lapemidoides, p. 412. 



* Type: D. major, Shaw { = Hydrus major, part., Shaw, Disteira doliata, 

 Lacep., Hydrophis mentaJi^, Gray, Disteira dumerilii, Jan). 



