202 MAJOR F. WALL, I.M.S., C.M.Z.S 
? Hydrophis latifasciatus, Giinther, loc. cit., p. 372, pl. xxv, fig. T. 
S. 
i x Blanford in Journ. As. Soc. Bengal, 1879, p. 132. 
i -. Boulgr. in Blanford, Fauna Brit. Ind. Rept. and Batrach., 
18go, p. 40I. 
3 fis Boulgr. Cat., 1896, iii, p. 279, and pl. xiii. 
- eS Sclater, loc. cit., 1891, p. 63. 
r ss Wall, loc. cit., 1906, p. 281. 
(For figure 13 see plate vii.) 
A B C 
Fig. 14.—Distiva obscura, x 3. 
Mr. Boulenger is without doubt in error in his consideration of this species.' 
Daudin’s obscurus is based upon two specimens figured by Russell, the originals of 
which are in the British Museum. Daudin gave to one (plate vii) the name obscurus, 
and to the other (plate viii) the title ch/oris. Both these snakes being now recognised 
by Mr. Boulenger as identical, an opinion with which I am in accord, they are united 
under the former title, 7.c., obscura. Under obscura, however, Mr. Boulenger describes 
a totally different snake, which is obviously the forguata of Gunther! One point 
alone will suffice here in support of this statement, v7z., the neck scales in obscura as 
described by Mr Boulenger are from 33 to 40, whereas in Russell’s type-specimens 
just alluded to they are 21! ‘his snake the true obscuva of Daudin he describes 
under the name H. covonata (Gunther).’ 
The following description is based upon I5 examples including those labelled 
coronata and /Jatifasciata in the British Museum, which there is no doubt are the same. 
Two of these are Russell’s types, six are in the Indian Museum (five of these from 
the Gangetic Delta), two are specimens of mine from Burma, and two others in the 
Bombay Natural History Society’s collection from Karwar on the coast near Bombay. 
H. latifasciata (Giinther). The descriptions of this, and coyvonata (Giinther) given 
in Mr. Boulenger’s catalogue are almost identical. The only differences are that in 
coronata the temporal is stated to descend to the labial border whereas this is not 
specified in datifasciata. The post-chin shields are in contact in coyonata, separated 
in latifasciata. I find on examining these specimens that the temporal descends to 
the labial border on the right side in the type-specimen of Jatifasciata, a species only 
known from a solitary specimen; and in two specimens of covonata in other collections, 
1 Cat., vol, ili, p. 284. 
2 Ind. Serp., vol. ii, 1801, plates vii and viii, 
3 Koc. cit., p. 279. 
