THE COMMON INDIAN SNAKES. 93 



It is quite common around India, but not nearly so common as 

 in Burma where there must be literally thousands in every tidal- 

 river. Haly reports it common in Ceylon, and Blyth says 

 the same with reference to the Andamans. It occurs in the 

 Nicobars. 



Lepidosis, Rostral. — In contact with 4 shields, the rostro-nasal, 

 and rostro-labial sutures subequal ; sometimes a partial median 

 suture is seen in the upper part of the shield. Internasals. — Two, 

 sub-triangular ; their bases apposed in the median line ; the suture 

 between them equal to rather greater than that between the 

 prefrontal fellows, subequal to the intern aso-prsefrontal suture. 

 Prefrontals . — Two, the suture between them subequal to the 

 prsefronto-frontal ; in contact with nasal, loreal and prasocular. 

 Frontal. — In contact with 7 shields, frequently more or less dis- 

 integrated posteriori}". Parietals — Disintegrated into many parts. 

 Masals. — In contact behind the rostral ; touching the first labial 

 only. Loreal. — Present. Prcnocular. — One. Postoculars. — One 

 or two. Temporals. — Replaced by small scales. 



S'uboculars. — One to three. Supralabials . — 9 or 10, none touch- 

 ing the eye ; the last three or four divided into an upper and lower 

 part. Infralabials. — Many small. 



Sublinguals. — One pair only present ; in contact with 3 or 4 

 infralabials. Costals. — Two headslengths behind the head 25 

 (rarely 23) ; midbody 23 to 25 (rarely 27) ; two headslengths before 

 the anus 19 or 17. Where the rows are 25 they reduce to 23 and 

 again to 21 by a fusion of the 4th and 5th, or 5th and 6th rows ; 

 from 21 to 19 the 3rd and 4th rows fuse. Strongly keeled in all 

 rows except the last for a variable extent posteriorly. 



Ventrals. — Well- developed, 132 to 160. Anal. — Divided. 

 iSubcaudals. — Divided. 49 to 72. 



Dentition. — Maxillary. 15 to 16 teeth are followed by a short 

 edentulous space, after which there is a pair of grooved pseudo 

 fangs little if at all larger than the preceding teeth. Palatine.- — 9. 

 Pterygoid,— 22 to 25. Mandibular. — 20 to' 23 ; the 3rd to about 

 the 7th longest and subequal. 



Our plate. — Mr. Green and Mr. Gerhardt have very faithfully 

 portrajred a typical specimen. 



' ' Series" C . PROTEROGL YPHA . 



The " Series " is again divided into sub-families (1) Hydrophiince 

 including the marine forms with valvular nostrils, strongly com- 

 pressed bodies (except Plat urns') and compressed fin-like tails, and 

 (2) ~Elapineb which includes the terrestrial poisonous snakes with 

 open nostrils, round or feebly compressed bodies, and a cylindrical 

 and tapering tail. 



