A MONOGRAPH OF THE SHA-SNAKES (HYDROPHIINA). 185 
PLATURUS LATICAUDATUS (Linnzeus).' 
Coluber laticaudatus, Linn. Mus. Ad. Fred., 1754, p. 31, pl. xvi, fig. 1. 
Platurus laticaudatus, Boulgr. in Blanford, Fauna Ind. Rept., 1890, p. 395 and 
fig. and Cat. iii, 1896, p. 307. 
Sclater, List Snakes Ind. Mus., 1891, p. 61. 
a i Wall in Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1903, pp. 96 and ror. 
fischeri, Gvinther, Rept. Brit. Ind. 1864, p. 356, pl. xxv, fig. A. 
Jan, Icon. Gén., 1872, ivr. 40, pl. 1, fig. 2. 
a iS Fayrer, Thanat. Ind., 1874, pl. xix. 
muelleri, Boulgr., Cat. iii, 1896, p. 309. 
? affinis, Anderson in Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1871, p. 190. 
” 
Fig. 2.—Platurus laticaudatus (nat. size). 
Description. Rostral,—touches six shields, the rostro-labial suture is much the 
largest; portion visible above about onefourth the internasal suture. Inter- 
nasals,—a pair. Prefrontals,—two; not in contact with any supralabial 
Frontal,—touches six shields; the fronto-parietal sutures largest. Supraoculars,— 
single; from 4 to = the length, and breadth of the frontal Parietals,—entire. 
Nasals,—lateral ; in contact with the first and second supralabials. Preoculars,— 
one. Postoculars,—two. Temporals,—one. Supralabials,—seven or eight; 
the third and fourth touching the eye (the fourth only in one specimen on one side). 
Infralabials,—the fifth is the largest of the series, and in contact with three 
scales behind. Marginals,—a complete row after the second or third infralabial 
usually (the first rarely). Sublinguals,—two pairs in contact with their fel- 
lows. Costals,—anteriorly 19, midbody 19, posteriorly 17; smooth; imbricate; 
the vertebrals are enlarged where the costalsnumber 17. Ventrals,—2ro to 246 three 
or more times as broad as the last costal row; with a more or less distinct lateral 
obtuse keel in the basal half of each shield; sometimes with an obtuse median keel 
posteriorly ; the last shield sometimes divided. Anal,—divided. Colour,—alter- 
nately banded with dark brown, and yellowish, or greyish. ‘The bands well defined, 
and the dark rather broader. 
Habitat. Bay of Bengal, through the Malayan Region, China, oo Choos, Philip- 
pines to New Guinea and Australia (Van Diemen’s Land, Gunther). 
| I did not see the type-specimen said to be in the Indian Museum, Calcutta, nor does Sclater mention it in his List 
(1891, p. 61.) It may prove to be the specimen figured by Fayrer, pl. xix. 
