238 MAJOR F. WALL, I-M.S., C.M.Z.S. 
linguals,—two pairs, the posterior ill-developed and separated. Costals,—anterior 
45, midbody 58, posterior 56; imbricate anter-orly, juxtaposed posteriorly. Ven- 
trals,—290; entire and nearly twice the breadth of the last costal row throughout. 
Colour,—yellowish with 31 black broad dorsal bars, alternating with narrow bars, all 
rounded lateraily. Several series of round spots costally very variable in size, and 
capricious in distribution. 
Habitat.—Australia. 
DISTIRA MAJOR (Shaw). 
Hydrus major, Shaw, Zool., 1802, iii, p. 558, pl. cxxiv, in part. 
Disteira doliata, Gunther, Rept. Brit. Ind., 1864, p. 350. 
Hydrophis mentalis, Gray in Zool. Misc., 1842, p. 62, and Cat. 1849, p. 53- 
>? Disteira dumerilii, Jan, Icon. Gén., 1872, 39, pl. iv. 
Hydrophis major, Giinther, loc. cit., p. 363, pl. xxv, fig. G. 
Distira major, Boulgr. in Blanford, Fauna Brit. Ind. Rept. and Batrach., 1890, 
p. 407, and Cat. Brit. Mus., 1896, iii, p. 289. 
Fig. 54.— Dishva major. After Giinther, Rept. Brit. Ind., 1864, pl. xxv, fig. G. 
The only specimens I have seen are the five in the British Museum. In many 
respects the species shows close affinities with A strotza stokes. 
Description. —Body anteriorly more than half the extreme depth posteriorly. 
Rostral,—the portion visible above about half the internasal suture. Pra- 
frontals,—touch the second supralabial. Postoculars,—two. (One on one side 
in one example, and on both sides in one). Temporals,—two small superposed 
scales anteriorly. Supralabials,—eight or nine, the first four entire, the rest 
variously divided; the third and fourth touch the eye. Infralabials,—four, the 
last in contact with three or four scales behind; the suture between the first about 
equal to that between the anterior sublinguals. Marginals,—a complete row after 
the third intralabial Sublinguals,—usually two pairs, the posterior fellows 
separated. Sometimes one er both poorly developed. Costals,—anterior 31 to 35; 
midbody 33 to 42, posterior 34 to 39; imbricate everywhere. Ventrals,—233 to 
250 (200 to 236, Boulenger). Mostly entire or many divided posteriorly ; rather less 
than twice as broad as the last costal row. Colour,—yellowish ventrally with from 
26 to 30 dorsal bars and sometimes an intermediate line : sometimes a series of costal 
spots, alternate with the bars 
Habita t.-With the exception of one from the Indian Ocean all are from Australia 
a 
