362 Dissertation on Water Snakes, 



by Shaw, Latreille, Daudin, &c. ; and those last writers have di- 

 vided thein into four genera, Enliydris, Platiirus, Pelamis, and 

 Hy dr aphis ; which form a peculiar tribe or natural family in the 

 order of Snakes, to which I have given the name of Platuria 

 (Platurians, Flat-tails or Water Snakes). They are completely 

 distinguished from the land snakes, by having a compressed tail, 

 which serves them as an oar or rudder, enabling them to swim 

 with great swiftness ; and from the fishes of the eel tribe, by 

 having neither gills nor fins. They breathe through lungs, at re- 

 mote periods, whence they generally live near the surface of the 

 water, like the animals of the whale tribe. They prey on fishes 

 and sea animals, and some of them have venomous fangs. Many 

 are known to come on land, like turtles, to deposit their eggs. 



About fourteen species of Water Snakes have been described by 

 the above authors ; ten more are noticed in the travels of Perou 

 to Australia or New Holland, one of which was ten feet long; and 

 lately several monstrous species have been seen near our shores. 

 Manv others appear to have been perceived by former travellers; 

 and very probablv a great variety are known to sailors. The 

 knowledge of these animals is merely emerging into notice, and 

 may be vet greatly improved. I shall not pretend to assert that 

 they are as numerous as land snakes ; but it is very likely that one 

 hundred species at least of this tribe exist in the waters of the 

 ocean, lakes, and rivers. Intelligent travellers, seamen, and fisher- 

 men, will gradually make us acquainted with them : meantime, 

 I shall endeavour to give a concise account of those we know, 

 which may facilitate their future observations; and I shall arrange 

 my labour in a synoptical order, concluding by some remarks on 

 the Sea Serpents, which are merely Sea Snakes of a very large 

 size. 



Family Platuria. — VI Genus. Ophinectes, Raf. Differing 

 from Felomis by having a compressed body and a carinated or 

 angular abdomen. I arrange in this new genus all the Sea Snakes 

 mentioned in Peron's Travels: tliey v/ere all found on the western 

 and southern shores of Australia, or New Holland; such as may 

 have fangs ought to belong to the genus Nairix, and those with 

 cylindrical bodies to the genus Pelamis. 



1. Sp. Ophinectes cineriis, Raf. Cinerous Ophinectes. En- 

 tirely gray or ash colour. 



2. S]3. Ophinectes viridis, Raf. Green Ophinectes. Entirely 

 green. 



3. Sp. Ophinectes luteus, Raf. Yellow Ophinectes. Entirely 

 yellow. 



4. Sp. Ophinectes ccBrjilescens, Raf. Blueish Ophinectes. En- 

 tirely of a blueish coloiu-. 



5. Sp. Ophinectes versicolor, Raf. Versicolor Ophinectes. 



Varied 



