SNAKES. 



55 



two posterior oculars : lower lip edged with a series of triangular 



scales. 



a. In spirits. India. Presented by the Zoological Society. 



ff Scales rather elongate, tuhercularly keeled. 



12. The KouGH Sea Snake. Hydrophis aspera. 



Pale : back with lozen£?e-shaped cross-bands : tail dark : scales 

 with a strong short keel, with two or three tubercles on it ; of the 

 front part of body lanceolate, and the hinder part and under-side 

 broader : ventral shield (of two united scales) from the throat, with 

 two distinct tubercular keels : head moderate, short, thick ; head 

 shields granular : one anterior and two posterior oculars: lower la- 

 bial shields small, triangular, with band-hke shield between them : 

 upper labial shields moderate ; second, largest ; sixth small, trian- 

 gular, with a rather large shield above it : chin shields one pair, 

 moderate. 

 a. Inspirits. Singapore? From Mr. Gardener's collection. 



1. Hydrophis striata. Bote, Faun. Japon. t. 7; Schlegel, Phys. 

 Serp. 502, t. 18, /. 4, 5, may be intended for this species ; but 

 Schlegel's description is so general that it rather fits the genus than 

 any particular species. 



2. Hydrophis hybrida, Schlegel^Ahhild. 115, t. 37, appears also 

 to be allied to this species : perhaps a variety, with the dorsal spot 

 smaller. 



13. The Bluish Sea Snake. Hydrophis caerulescens. Gray, 

 Zool. Misc. 6. Hydrus caerulescens, Shaw, Zool, iii. 561. Enhy- 

 dris caerulescens, Merrem, Tent. 140. 



Above blackish ash in spirits, beneath whitish ; side of the neck 

 and base of the tail with white bands, of the body with roundish 

 white spots ; tail blackish ash : scales elongate, six-sided, with short 

 subcentral tubercle-like keel ; of the front of the body narrow, lance- 

 olate, and the hinder part and under-side broad : ventral shields from 

 neck with two short slight keels : head shields tubercular : lower ros- 

 tral shield trigonal, sub-equilateral : the first, second and third lower 

 'labial shields large ; fourth small, triangular, with large plates below 

 it : chin shields one pair, moderate. 



a. In spirits. Indian Ocean. Specimen described by Dr. Shaw. 



H. caerulescens, Shaiv. 

 h. In spirits. India, Bengal. 



