HYDROPHIDAD IN COLOMBO MUSEUM. 167 
the eye. Sublinguals: two pairs, the posterior in contact. 
Infralabials : fourth largest, and touching three scales poste- 
riorly. Suture between the first smaller than that between the 
anterior sublinguals. Scales: imbricate in whole-body length. 
Ventrals : distinct throughout, or a few divided here and there. 
Trregularities.—In A the single anterior temporal does not reach 
the labial margin, and is followed by another equally large shield. 
Three small marginals border the lower lip behind the third 
infralabial. Forty-three complete black rings encircle the body. 
These are rather dilated vertebrally, and a few intermediate dorsal 
spots occur, which are indistinct. 
In B, the single anterior temporal does not reach the labial 
margin, and it is followed by two smaller scales along the parietals. 
Three marginals succeed the third infralabial on the left side, and 
three the second infralabial on the right side. It has thirty-nine 
narrow rings slightly dilated vertebrally and ventrally, and a 
regular series of distinct intermediate dorsal black spots. 
Example C has the single anterior temporal coming down 
to the labial border, and this is followed by another equally large 
shield. Only one wedge-shaped marginal occurs between the 
third and fourth infralabials. Itis singularly handsomely adorned 
with thirty-seven very black rings, some slightly interrupted 
costally. These are dilated vertebrally and ventrally, and 
there are regular series of large black dorsal and ventral inter- 
mediate spots. I have never met with another similarly marked, 
and I notice Boulenger (loc. cit., p. 274) makes no mention of 
ventral spots. 
Seales. 

Anterior. Mid-body. Posterior. Ventrals. Museum No. 
A 28 i) LOO UNO OSes palo SO ere io wees Simmental 
15) 2-9 well AOD UIENES Lo Dnt Pa Gere an tol eae NC Olestonit 
G26 30 ea oie oOOer se) Mm Srmen tl aciritt 
A is probably the specimen referred to by Ferguson (Reptile 
Faun. Ceylon, 1877, No. 110), and Haly (Catalogues 1886, No. 57 ; 
and 1891, No. 113). i 
Hydrophis gracilis (Shaw). 
There are four fine examples. These agree in the following 
ways. fostral: portion visible above equals, or nearly equals, 
the suture between the nasals. Prefrontals touch the second 
labial. Postocular: one. Anterior temporals: one, followed 
by another equally large or larger shield. Lapials : six, the third 
and fourth touching the eye. Sublinguals ; two pairs, the posterior 
