DISTIBA. 409 



margin. 15 or 17 scales round the neck, 19 or 21 round the 

 middle of the body ; scales broader than long, slightly imbricate, 

 strongly keeled. Ventrals distinct, but feebly enlarged, more or 

 less distinctly bituberculate, 224-238. Olive above, yellowish 

 beneath, with black cross bands which form complete rings in 

 young and half-grown specimens ; a black spot may be present 

 between each pair of annuli. 



Total length 35 inches. 



Hah. Bay of Bengal and Straits of Malacca. 



507. Distira robusta. 



Iljdrophis nigrocincta, part., Schleg. Phi/s. Serj). ii, p. 505, pi. xviii, 



tigs. 8-10. 

 Ilydrophis nigrocincta {non Daud.\ Fischer, Ahh. Naturw. Hmnb. 



"iii, ISoO, p. 40, pi. i. 

 Ilvdrophis robusta, Giinth. Eept. B. I. p. 364; Fayrer, Thunatoph. 



pi. xxi ; Murray, Zool. Sind, p. 394. 

 Hvdrophis rappii, Jan, Icon. Ophid. 41, pi. iv, fig. 1. 

 Ilydvuphis temporalis, BUmf. P. Z. S. 1881, p. 680, fig. 

 Hydrophis bishopii, Murray, Zool. Sind, p. 091, pi. — . 



Head moderate ; body moderately elongate. Eostral broader 

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

 the suture between the pnefroutals ; frontal much longer than 

 broad, as long as its distance from the end of the snout, shorter 

 than the parietals ; one pr»- and one or t« o postoculars ; 7 upper 

 labials, second largest, third and fourth, or third, fourth, and fifth, 

 entering the eye ; a single large anterior temporal, descending to 

 the labial margin : two pairs of subequal chin -shields, in contact 

 on the middle line. 27 to 31 scales round the neck, 32 to 35 

 round the middle of the body ; scales rhomboidal and subimbricate, 

 smooth or each with a more or less distinct central tubercle or 

 short obtuse keel. Ventrals distinct throughout, smooth or 

 bitubercular, 310-372. Greenish yellow above, dorsal scales with 

 black mai'guis, with black cross bands or annuli, which are 

 narrower than the interspaces between them; sides and lower 

 parts yellowish : end of tail black. 



Total length 6 feet. 



Hah. Persian Gulf and coasts of India, Burma, and the Malay 

 Archipelago. 



508. Distira tuberculata. 



Hydrophis tuberculata, Anders. J, A. S. B. xl, 1871, pt. 2, p. 18 ; 

 Murray, Zool. Sind, p. 393. 



Head moderate ; neck not very slender. Eostral broader than 

 deep ; head-shields studded with minute granules ; fourth and fifth 

 labials below the eye; one prie- and two postoculars; anterior 

 temporal large and almost entering the labial margin: two pairs 

 of large square chin-shields in contact with each other. 38 rows 

 of slightly imbricate scales round the neck, each with two 



