21/ 



2. Platurus laticaudatus (L.). 



Coluber laticaudatus^ Linne, Mus. Ad. Frid. 1754, p. 31, pi. XVI, fig. i. 

 Platurus latiraudatus^ Boulenger, Cat. Sn. Ill 1896, p. 307. 

 Laticauda latkaudata^ Barbour, Mem. Mus. Comp. Zool. Harv. Coll. XLIV 

 1912, p. 131. 



Rostral more deep than broad, in contact with six shields; 

 two internasals and two praefrontals, separated from the labials; 

 frontal not longer than the parietals, in contact with six 

 shields; supraoculars entire; parietals entire; nasals lateral, in 

 contact with the two anterior labials; one prae- and two post- 

 oculars; temporals i + 2; seven or eight upper labials, third 

 and fourth entering the eye; two pair of chin-shields, both in 

 contact. Scales smooth, in 19 rows, vertebrals enlarged in the 

 posterior part of the body; ventrals 210 — 246, the last ventral 

 sometimes divided; anal divided. 



Olive or greyish above, with 29 — 48 black annuli. Lower 

 surface yellowish. Length of head and body 880 mm.; tail 90 mm. 



Habitat: Pulu Babi!; Nias; Sumatra (Sabang on Pulu 

 Weh!, Atjeh!, Serdang, Gunung Sugei in Lampong district); 

 Java; Flores!; Timor!; Borneo; Ternate; Halmahera; Aru 

 Islands; New Guinea; Schouten Islands (Mysore). — Australia; 

 New Hebrides; Fiji Islands; Loo Choo Islands; China; Philip- 

 pines; Siam; Bengal. 



3. Platurus colubrinus (Schneider). 



Hydrus colubrinus^ Schneider, Hist. Amph. I 1799, p. 238. 

 Platurus colubrinus^ Boulenger, Cat. Sn. Ill 1896, p. 308. 



Rostral more deep than broad, in contact with six shields; 

 two internasals; praefrontals with a third shield in a row, 

 separated from the labials; frontal as long as or shorter than 

 the parietals, in contact with seven shields; supraoculars and 

 parietals entire; nasals lateral, in contact with the two or 

 three anterior labials; one prae- and two postoculars; temporals 

 1+2 or 2 -(-2; six or seven upper labials, third and fourth 

 entering the eye; two pair of chin-shields, both in contact. 

 Scales smooth, in 21 — 25 rows; ventrals 195 — 245, the last or 

 two often divided; anal divided. 



Olive-brown above, with 28 — 54 black annuli, sometimes 

 interrupted below. Lower surface yellowish. Length of head 

 and body 1145 mm.; tail 125 mm.; reaches a length of 1.60 M. 



