SNAKES. 49 



d. In spirits. Young. Tail pale-banded. Indian Seas. Purchased 



at Mr. Stevens's sale. 



e. In fluid. Adult; not good state. Scales more lanceolate and 



less keeled ? Madras. Presented by J. C. Jerdon, Esq. 



Schlegel, Phi/s. Serp. 502, states that Hoogli Pattee, Russell, 

 Ind. Serp. t. 10 (Hydrophis Schistosus, Baud. Rept. vii. 386 ; Pe- 

 lamis Schistosus, 3/ierrem, 139; Leioselasma Schistosa, Fitz. Isis, 

 1827, 737), is a half-grown specimen of this species ; but this is in- 

 consistent with Russell's description and figure of the head shields. 



6. Hydrophis. 



Head moderate, rather short: nasal shield moderate, four-sided, 

 truncated, or slightly notched in front: rostral shield broad, short, 

 five-sided, three-toothed below : labial shields large, occupying 

 more than half the front of the lips; the first upper square, mode- 

 rate ; the second, third and fourth large, the fourth under the eye (or 

 sometimes divided into two shields under the eye) : the four or five 

 lower labial shields large, band-like ; the rest small, triangular ; 

 there are sometimes some small triangular scales on the edge of the 

 lower lips above the other shields : lower rostral shield triangular : 

 temple shielded : scales of the body with a central keel (less distinct 

 in the young specimens) ; of the belly broader; of the neck longer, 

 narrower, and less keeled : ventral shield, moderately broad, six- 

 sided, often two keeled ; of the throat narrower. 



Hydrophis, Baud. Rept. vii. Gi-ai/, Ann. Phil. x. 1825, 207 

 (H. nigrocinctus). Hydrophis, § 2, Gray, Zool. Misc. 61, 1842. 

 Hydrophis sp., Cuv. R. A. ii. 74, Enhydris sp., Merrem, Tent. 

 140. Polydontes, Lesson, Belanger, Voy. Zool. Rept. t. 4. ? Dis- 

 teira, Lacep. Ann. Mus. iv. 199, 210, t. 57, 2. Gray, Ann. Phil. 

 1825, X. 207. ? Leioselasma, Lacep. Ann. Mus. iv. 198, 210, t. bl, 

 /.I. 



Boie observes that he could not find the type specimens of 

 Lacepede's genera, Disteira, Leioselasma and Aipysurus, in the 

 Paris Museum, {Isis, 1827, 553). 



* Head small, rather depressed ; neck very slender, elongate. 



f Scales of adult, narrow ; ventral shield wide, elongate. 



1. The Shootur Sun. Hydrophis obscura, Datid. Rept. vii. 

 375. Kalla Shootur Sun, Russell, Ind. Serp. i. t. 8 (good). Pela- 



F 



