44 REPTILES 



* Ventral scales smooth. 



1. The Short Lapemis. Lapemis curtiis, Gray, Zaol. Misc. 

 60. Hydriis curtus, Shaiv, Zool. iii. 560. H. Enhydris curtus, 

 Merrem, Tent. 140. Pelamis curtus, Gray, Griffith A. K. 



Yellow in spirits ; back with dark cross bands ; one anterior 

 and one posterior ocular ; ventral scales smooth. 



Var. 1 . Lower lip with a series of small, triangular, marginal 

 shields. 



a. In spirits. India ? Eyes over the fourth and fifth labial shields, 

 the sixth erect, narrow ; temple with small scales ; the front 

 temple shield like the sixth labial, and erect. Old collection. 

 Described by Dr. Shaw as Hydrus curtus. 



h. In spirits. India ? Eye over the fourth labial shield, the fifth 

 trigonal, the sixth and seventh small, marginal ; temporal 

 shields 3, two lower erect, upper subtrigonal. Old collection. 



Var. 2. Lower lip with large labial shield, and only one small, 

 triangular, marginal scale. 



c. In spirits. Eye over fourth labial shield, fifth triangidar ; tem- 

 ple shielded ; upper shield largest, elongate, margining the 

 small occipital shield. Madras. Presented by J. C. Jerdon, 

 Esq. 



** Dorsal and lateral scales smooth, ventral keeled. 



2. Haedavicke's Lapemis. Lapemis Hardwickii, Gray, Zool. 

 Misc. 60. Illiist. Ind. Zool. t. Hydrophis pelamidoides, Schlegel, 

 Phys. Serp. 512, t. 18, /. 16, 17. Faun. Japon. t. 9. 



Back olive, yellow cross-banded ; belly yellow ; scales very 

 large : body rather short, thick : head moderate ; loreal shield none, 

 one anterior and one posterior ocular : tail black. 



a. In spirits. Half grown. Scales of back smooth ; head black- 

 ish, with a band across the forehead in front of eyes. India. 

 Presented by General Hardwicke. 



h. In spirits. Adult. Scales of front part of back slightly keeled ; 

 head with a frontal cross band, and a streak along the temple. 

 Borneo ? Presented by Capt. Sir Edward Belcher, K.C.B., 

 R.N. 



c, d. In spirits. Adult. Head black ^ith a distinct pale streak on 

 each temple ; scales of back smooth. 



