236 



from the tip of the snout, shorter than the parietals; one 

 prae- and one postocular; two superposed anterior temporals; 

 seven upper labials, third and fourth entering the eye; poste- 

 rior pair of small chin-shields separated by scales. Body long; 

 scales imbricate anteriorly, juxtaposed posteriorly, with a 

 tubercle or keel, in 43 rows (32 anteriorly); ventrals 331, 

 enlarged, with two keels. 



Yellowish, with a series of transverse, rhomboidal black 

 spots on the back; head black above. Lower surface yellow. 

 Length of head and body 580 mm.; tail 85 mm. 



Type-specimen examined in the Leiden Museum. 



Habitat: Molucca Sea!. 



17. Hydrophis ornatus (Gray). 



Ainria oniata^ Gray, Zool. Misc. 1842, p. 61. 



Distira oniata^ Boulenger, Cat. Sn. HI 1896, p. 290. 



Hydrophis ornatw;^ Boulenger, Rept. Malay Penin. 1912, p. 184. 



Head moderate; eye as long as or longer than its distance 

 from the mouth; rostral more broad than deep; nasals shorter 

 than the frontal, two or three times as long as the suture 

 between the praefrontals; praefrontals usually in contact with 

 the second labial; frontal more long than broad, as long as 

 or longer than its distance from the rostral or the tip of the 

 snout; one prae- and two or three postoculars; two or three 

 superposed anterior temporals; seven or eight upper labials, 

 third and fourth entering the eye, the posterior often divided, 

 second largest; posterior chin-shields absent or separated by 

 two or three scales. Body moderate; scales imbricate anteri- 

 orly, juxtaposed posteriorly, smooth in the young, with a keel 

 or tubercle in the adult, in 40 — 50 rows (35 — 42 anteriorly); 

 ventrals 210 — 300, entire or a few divided posteriorly. 



Young specimens banded with black, the bands interrupted 

 ventrally, and with one or more series of round dark spots 

 on the sides. Sometimes the bands confluent, forming a blackish 

 upper part; white below. Length of head and body 1070 mm.; 

 tail 130 mm. 



Habitat: Aru Islands!; New Guinea (S. W. New Guinea!, 

 Kapaor '). — Persian Gulf; Coasts of India and Ceylon; 

 Siam!; Malay Peninsula; Philippines; N. Australia. 



1) Peters & Doria, Ann. Mus. Geneva XIII 1878, p. 416 as Hydrophis 

 ocellata Gray. 



