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340 



PRELIMINARY DIAGNOSES OF FOUR NEW SEA SNAKES. 



By Malculm A. Smuii, m.u.c.s., i-./.t-. 



Hydrophis lamberti. 



I'osterior maxillary teetli, lU. Head modt-rate, bod^- luoi^erately 

 elongate. Kye longci' than its distance from tlic uioutli. rostral broader 

 than deep, frontal shorter than its distance from the rostral ; one 

 l)rae- and two postoculars ; two superposed anterior temporals followed 

 b}' ordinary scales; 8 supralabials, tliird and fourth touching the eye. 

 No distinct jtosterior chin-shields. 



35 scales round the neck, 45 round the body, anteriorly imbri- 

 cate, posteriorly hexagonal and more or less juxtaposed, with a central 

 tubercle or short keel. VentraLs distinct througliout, 281-302. 



^'ellowish grey above, yellowish white below, with 33 to 38 

 dark dorsal rhumbs. Head yellowish olive. 



Total length, bOO ; tail SO mm. 



Habitat, (in If of .Siaui. Tyjie locality, mouth of the .Meklong 

 Jiiver. 



(Jlosel}' allied to T[. onudiMi (jiray, from which it diliers chielly 

 in the smaller numbei of scales round the body. 



Hydrophis rostralis. 



I'osterior ma.xillary teeth, 5. Head small, boily long and 

 slender anteriorly, snout long. Rostral as broad as deep, the jjortion 

 visible above equal to thn'f'-(juarters or the whole length of the inler- 

 nasal suture. Frontal shorter than its distance from the rostral, one 

 prae- and one postocular ; one large anterior temporal, succeeded by 

 another as large. 6 supralabials, tliii'd and fourth touching the eye. 

 Chill-shields subecjual, the posterior pair in contact. 



20 to 23 scales round the neck, 35 to 11 round the thickest 

 l)art of the body, anteriorly elongate and imbricate, posteriorly hexa- 

 gonal and more or less juxtaposed, the. keels most strongly marked 

 l)Osteriorly, and usu;illy broken up into several tuberi'les. \ entrals 

 feebly enlarged, single anteriorly, cnmpletely divided by a median fur- 

 row po.storiorly, 272 In 302. 



.tUlIK.S. iNAl. Jll.Si. .•5Ut. .>5:a.m 



