SNAKES. 53 
nearly smooth ; of the hinder part of the back rather concave, with 
a central ridge which looks like a keel: ventral shield broad, six- 
sided, smooth, sometimes divided into two or marked with a slight 
central groove ; occipital shields large, triangular, produced behind 
with a small central shield behind them, and a series of four large 
temporal shields on their outer side; chin shields two pairs: eyes 
very small, over the narrow fourth and fifth labial shields: temporal 
shield large ; nasa] shield small; frontal smaller: one anterior and 
two iia ocular shields; the second upper labial shield elon- 
gated. 
a. In spirits. Adult; nearly bleached. Indian Ocean. 
5. In spirits. Adult. Black-banded. China. Presented by J. R. 
Reeve, Esq. 
ce. In spirits. Half grown. Black-ringed. 
by the College of Surgeons. 
d. In fluid. Adult. Black-ringed. Eye over the oblique third 
and fourth shield. Madras. Presented by J. C. Jerdon, Esq. 
e. In fluid. Aged. Black-ringed. Plate under eye divided ob- 
liquely into two. Ceylon. Presented by R. Templeton, Esq. 
Var. 1. Melanocephala. Throat black; head pale dotted ; back 
of neck black, cross-banded ; body with black rings. 
f. In fluid. Adult. Indian Ocean. Presented by Capt. Sir Ed- 
ward Belcher, K.C.B., R.N. 
g- In fluid. Young. Madras. Presented by J. C. Jerdon, Esq. 
Polyodontes annulatus, Lesson, Belanger, Voy. Rept. t. 4. 
P ~—s- Presented 
8. The Pate Currrut. Hydrophis mentalis, Gray, Zool. 
Misc. 62. 
Pale whitish in spirits, with indistinct, broad, dark cross-bands 
on the back: head rather large, very short, bruad, blunt: eye small, 
over fourth and hinder angle of third labial shield: scales rather 
broad, with a narrow keel reaching more than half the length: lower 
lip with a series of very shallow oblong scales; the second and 
third lower labial elongate, reaching the margins of the broad shield 
below them: the lower rostral plate slender, trigonal: chin shields 
moderate: one anterior and two posterior oculars. 
a. In spirits. Indian Ocean. Old collection. 
9. The Eyep Cuirrut. Hydrophis ocellata. 
Pale in spirits: back with an alternate series of large, oblong, 
transverse, pale-centred, and of smaller round dark spots: sides with 
three series of round spots, those of the upper series largest: tail 
with a series of oblong transverse spots on the upper and lower edge: 
head large, blunt, olive; scales rather small, in many series broad, 
F3 
