34 NATURAL HISTORY. 



Length, — 42 inches, of which the tail is 5 X 1-g inches. 



Colours. — Yellow, becoming ochrey beyond the middle of the trunk. 

 Head olive. Forepart of trunk with 10 ovate black spots on the 

 vertebral region, separated by a single series of yellow scales ; 

 laterally these 10 interspaces are divided by a narrow brown line 

 and a dark spot; beyond this the broad bands run down on the 

 sides to about one-third the distance from the ventrals, the alternat- 

 ing dark spots of the forepart of the trunk cease, and begin on the 

 ventrals instead, along which there are 33, of various forms and 

 sizes, including the one on the anal region. 



Tail completely encircled with 5 black bands ; tip of the tail black. 



Hab— The Mekran Coast. 



The present species evidently belongs to that group of Hydro- 

 phidas classed by Dr. Gunther in his Reptiles of British India, as 

 having small imbricate scales in 43 to 47 series round the neck, 

 ventrals split into two. It, however, differs from the group in 

 having large scales, and in the number of scales round tbe neck 

 being 40 instead of 43 — 47, and from the only species showing these 

 characters, viz. Hydropliis Stoltesi, it differs in having the 4th 

 labial and a detached shield under the eye and 33 large black 

 blotches along the ventrals. The number of ventral shields is not 

 given by Dr. Gunther, nor the number of black cross bands on the 

 trunk and tail. The colouration partly agrees with the description 

 of H. Stokesi, from the Northern Coasts of Australia, but the 

 differences are sufficiently marked to separate it from any known 

 described specie's. 



It may be mentioned that although Dr. Gunther at the time of 

 writing doubted the occurrence of H. Stokesi in the China Seas 

 and in the East Indian Archipelago, Mr. W. T. Blanford in 

 P. Z. 8., 1881, states that two specimens from Singapore examined 

 by him must be identified with it. 



Hydrophis plumbea, Sp. nov. 

 Rostral 5-sided, triangular at apex and reaching the upper surface 

 of the head. Nasal wider than high, in suture laterally with the 

 first two upper labials. Frontal, as wide as high, rounded behind 

 and in suture with the upper praeocular and superciliary. Vertical 

 hexagonal, subtriangnlar in front and tapering behind. Occipitals 

 5-sided, the length of each twice the greatest breadth. Temporals 

 three on each side of each occipital, the anterior largest and nearly 

 entering the labial margin. Upper labials 8, the 4th under the eye, 



