HYDRO PHIS. 395 



other. Scales sliglitly imbricate, each with a sub-central tubercle, those 

 round the neck in 31 rows, those on the highest part of the body- 

 rounded or sub-truncated behind, as high as long. Yentrals smooth, 

 310 in number, twice or thrice as broad as the adjoining series. 

 Terminal scale of the tail rather large. Trunk with 35 narrow, distinct, 

 black rings extending round the belly, sometimes interrupted on the 

 sides and dilated on the back. Head without markings in the adult. 

 Throat and belly whitish. 



Hah. — The Sind, Kutch and Bombay Coasts. 



Hydrophis curta, Gunth. Rept. Br. Ind. p. 379. Hydrus curtus, 

 Shaw, Zool. iii. p. 562. Hydrophis propinquus, Jan. Iconogr. discr. in 

 Eev. et Mag. Zool. 1859. 



Head short, thick, obtuse. Anterior part of body stout, not elongate, 

 Occipitals always divided into two or more pieces, or broken up intO' 

 small shields. Two pairs of chin shields, sepai'ated in the middle by 

 small gular scales. One post-ocular. Scales round the neck in 30-34 

 rows. 209-252 scales in a lateral series between the angle of the mouth 

 and vent. Ventrals 156-160, nearly twice as broad as the scales of the 

 adjoining series. Prae-anal shields four, small. Back with 50-53 black 

 bands, broadest in the middle, nearly touching each other, and tapering 

 on the sides generally, not extending to the belly. A more or less 

 distinct yellowish streak on the temple. Tail black, with only two 

 yellow transverse spots at its root. 



Hob. — Sind Coast, and also that of Beloochistan, Persian Gulf, 

 Bengal and Southern India. 



Hydrophis gracilis, Shaw, Zool. iii. p. 560; Gunth. Rep. Br. 

 Ind. p. 373. 



Head very small, and narrow. Neck very slender. Rostral shield 

 cutting in front ; one post-ocular ; the third upper labial not in contact 

 with the nasal. Two large temporal shields along the side of the 

 occipital. Two pairs of chin shields, in contact with each other. 19 to 

 21 series of scales round the neck, scales provided with central 

 tubercles. The ventral shields are twice as large as the scales of the 

 adjoining' series on the slender anterior part of the body ; those of the 

 compressed part are split into two, both halves being first opposite to 

 each other, and alternate posteriorly. They are 228 (247-254) 264 in 

 number. Six small anal shields. Anterior part of the body surrounded 

 by blackish rings, which become very indistinct posteriorly. The 

 hinder half of the body is greenish olive above and whitish below ; 

 sometimes traces of darker cross bands extending downwards to the 

 belly are visible. Throat, anterior ventral shields, and crown of head 

 blackish, sides of the head and snout lighter. 



A young specimen has 41 rhombic black cross bands, continued 

 on to the belly, but sub-interrupted on the sides ; head, ventral shields 

 and posterior part of the tail black. 



Hah. — Sind, Beloochistan Coast, Persian Gulf, Bay of Bengal, Kutch, 

 Bombay and Southern India. 



