HTDROPHIS. 191 



210. Hydrophis cantoris. 



Hydrits gracilis, part., Cantor, Journ. Asiat. Soc. Beugal, xvi, 



p. lOoi (1847). 

 Hydrophis cantoris, Giinth. Rept. Brit. lud. p. 374, pi. xxv, fiii'. U 



(1864): Bouleug. Faim. Brit, liid., Kept. p. 405 (1890) ; id. Cat. 



Sn. iii, p. 281, pi. xiv (1896). 



Head very small ; body long, extremely slender anteriorly. 

 Diameter of eye equal to or a little less than its distance from the 

 mouth. Rostral deeper than broad ; frontal small, longer than 

 broad, hardly as long as its distance from the rostral ; one prae- 

 and one postocular ; a single anterior temporal ; 6 upper labials, 

 third in contact with the praefronral, third and fourth entering 

 the eye ; two pairs of small chin-shields, in contact with each 

 other. 23 to 25 scales round neck, 41 to 47 round thickest part 

 of body ; scales smooth, rhomboidal aud imbricate anteriorly, 

 elsewhere hexagonal, juxtaposed, eacli with two or three tubercles 

 one before the other, Ventrals hardly enlarged, 412-456. Body 

 dark olive or blackish anteriorly, with yellowish cross-bands 

 above ; posterior part of body olive above, yellowish on the 

 sides ; tail with olive vertical bars ; a blackish streak along 

 the belly. 



Total length 7600 millim. ; tail 130. 



Bay of Bengal and Straits of Malacca. Cantor's type specimen 

 is from Penang. 



211. Hydrophis gracilis. 



Hydrus gracilis, Shaw, Zool. iii, p. 560 (1802). 



Hydrophis gracilis, Giinth. Rept. Brit. lud. p. 373 (1864) ; Bouleng. 



Faun. Brit. Ind., Rept. p. 404 (1890) ; id. Cat. Su. iii, p. 280 



(1896). 



Head very small ; body long, extremely slender anteriorly. 

 Eye at least as long as its distance from the mouth. Rostral as 

 deep as broad ; frontal very small, longer than broad, hardly as 

 long as its distance from the rostral ; one prse- and one post- 

 ocular ; a single anterior temporal ; 6 upper labials, third aud 

 fourth entering the eye ; two pairs of small chin-shields, in 

 contact with each other. 19 to 21 scales round neck, 29 to 33 

 round thickest part of body ; scales smooth, rhomboidal and 

 imbricate anteriorly, elsewhere hexagonal, juxtaposed, each with 

 two or more tubercles, which are feeble in the female aud very 

 strong in the male. Ventrals distinct only anteriorly, very feebly 

 enlarged or split into two posteriorly, 225-297. Bluish black or 

 greyish olive above in the adult, with more or less distinct lighter 

 cross-bands anteriorly. Toung with the head and neck black, 

 the latter with light transverse bands ; body with rhombic black 



