SNAKES. 45 



e. In spirits. Adult. Head black, white-spotted; no distinct 

 temple streak ; scales of back keeled, of belly very strongly 

 keeled. Philippine Islands. From Mr. Cuming's collection. 



/. In spirits. Adult. Head with a large square loreal shield on 

 one side ? Borneo ? Presented by Capt. Sir Edward Bel- 

 cher, K.C.B., R.N. 

 Lapemis loreatus, Gray, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. 1842, 46. 



3. Aturia. 



Head moderate, rather short, rounded; eyes rather large, over 

 the fourth and fifth labial shields: scales of the back and sides thick, 

 six-sided, smooth, nearly equal ; of neck more elongate, subimbri- 

 cate ; labial shield large ; chin shields rather larger than those of 

 the gullet ; ventral shields rather large, the two central series united 

 into a single broad six-sided plate. 



Aturia, Graj/, Zool. Misc. 41, 1842. Intermediate between 

 Lapemis and Hydrophis. 



* Scales smooth. 



1. The Atueia. Aturia ornata, Gray., Zool. Misc. 61. 



Head slate-coloured : back with a series of large round spots, 

 and a series of smaller round dark spots on the middle of each side, 

 fifth upper labial smaller than the others; sixth and seventh very 

 small, marginal, with two large high shields above them : temple 

 shields rather large : chin shields one pair, oblong, six-sided, elon- 

 gate ; first five lower labial shields large, high ; sixth small, mar- 

 ginal ; rest of chin covered with small scales : the second upper 

 labial plate very large, and the top of the fourth occupying the 

 whole under edge of the eye : tail black, with rather broad whitish 

 cross bands. 



Var. 1. Lower labial shields 5-5, two front pairs narrow. 



a. In spirits ; partly bleached. Two regular post-oculars on one 

 side, and three irregular ones on the other. Indian Ocean ? 

 Old collection. 



h. In spirits Indian Seas. Presented by Capt. Sir Edward Bel- 

 cher, K.C.B., R.N. 



Var. 2. Lower labial shields 4-4, all broad ; sides of body with 

 large round spots. 



a. In spirits. Post-oculars 2; tail black, with white bands on the 

 upper edge only. Madras. Presented by J. C. Jerdon, Esq, 



