HYDRARGYRUM. 



HYDRIDE. 



one-half to China and Japan. The species are found naturally in 

 moist shady places. Kone of them appear to be of much use 

 to man. 



Hydrangea is a well-known genus of hardy shrubs, of which one 

 species is commonly cultivated for the sake of its beautiful flowers. 

 This plant is a native of China and Japan : it was originally observed 

 in the gardens of Canton by Loureiro, who took it for a primrose, 

 and called it Primula mutabilis. It was next met with by Coin- 

 merson, a French traveller, who named it ffortensia, in compliment 

 to Madame Hortense Lc"peaute. Thunberg referred it to the genus 

 Viburnum, and Smith called it by its present name, coupling with it 

 the name Hartentia of Commerson, converted however into Hortenxis. 

 When this plant is hardy enough to survive the winter, it grows to 

 a considerable size, and when covered by a multitude of its very large 

 round heads of rosy flowers, becomes a magnificent object. But as 

 it is rather tender, we more commonly see it grown in pots, by 

 which its beauty is much diminished. To have it in perfection it 

 should be planted in the open ground in rich soil ; during winter it 

 should be covered with a mat well stuflfed with straw. As soon as it 

 begins to move its buds in spring, it should be unpacked, and during 

 summer it should be most abundantly supplied with water. We 

 have known a large plant receive as much as 100 gallons of water 

 daily. If thus treated, the Hydrangea in without a rival iu the 

 shrubberies of this country. The blue colour which the flowers of 

 this plant now assume does not indicate a distinct variety, but is 

 only owing to the soil in which the plant is made to grow containing 

 a greater quantity of iron than usual Other species are II. arbo- 

 reiceni and //. quercifolia. 



The leaves of H. Mtmbergii are dried in Japan and used as a kind 

 of tea, which for its excellence they call Ama-tsja, or Tea of Heaven. 

 There are 9 genera and 45 species of thU order. 



HYDRARGYRUM. [MERCURY.] 



HYDRASTIS. [WARSERA; RANUNCUIACE-E.] 



HYDRIDJE, a family of Snakes belonging to the Colubrine sub- 

 order of Dr. J. E. Gray's arrangement, and the first section of this 

 sub-order, which includes the Hydridas and JBoidce. [Bonxs.] It is 

 thus characterised : Belly covered with narrow elongate shields or 

 scales, nearly resembling those of the back. 



The following is a synopsis of the genera, and a list of the species, 

 compiled from the Catalogue of the specimens of Snakes in the British 

 Museum : 



J/ydridte. The ventrul shields narrow, hexagonal or band-like ; 

 the hinder limbs not developed ; the eyes and nostrils superior, verti- 

 cal, the latter valvular, generally placed in the middle of a shield, 

 with a slit or groove to its outer edge ; fangs moderate, intermixed 

 with the maxillary teeth ; pupil small, round ; tail compressed or 

 conical. They live in the sea or salt-water lakes, or in fresh water. 



Synopsis of the Genera. 

 I. Tail compressed (except in Acrochordiu). Belly keeled, with two 



rows of small scale-like shields, often united together into a single, 



rather broad, 6-sided shield. 

 A. Head shielded to the nape. Nasal shields very large, with a large, 



operculated, superior nostril in their hinder edge ; the frontal 



shields two pairs, small ; loreal shield none ; labial shields high, 



large. Hydrina. 



These are the true Sea-Snakes. They coil themselves up on the 

 shore, and appear to live on sea-weed, and lay their eggs on the shore. 

 They are often found asleep on the surface of the sea, where they are 

 easily caught, for they cannot descend into the sea without throwing 

 themselves on to their backs. This arises apparently from the neces- 

 sity of expelling the air from their large lungs. They are often 

 thrown ashore in the surf, and are occasionally carried up rivers by 

 the tide, but they cannot live in fresh water. Their bite is venomous, 

 and they are held in great dread by fishermen wherever they occur, 

 on this account. In spite of their venomous properties, one species 

 at least, the Hydnu (Pdamit) bicolor is said by Cuvier to be eaten at 

 Tuheite. 



a. Scales square or 6-sided, placed side by side. 

 * Head elongate, depressed. 



1. Pdamit. 



P. bicolor. Pacific Ocean. 

 P. ornata. Borneo. 

 ** Head moderate, rather compressed ; gape moderate. 



2. Lapemit. Head moderate, short, rounded in front ; dorsal scales 

 square ; ventral shield broad, 6-sided. 



L. curtut. Madras. 



L. Jfardwickii. Borneo. 



3. Aluria. Head moderate, short, rounded in front ; dorsal scales 

 6-?ided ; ventral shield 6-sided. 



A. ornata. Indian Seas. 

 A. Bdchtri. New Guinea, 



4. Uicrocephalophii. Head small; scales 6-sided; ventral scales 

 keeled. 



M. gracilii, the Kadel Nagam. Madras. 



Pelamis bicolor (Ilydna tiicolar, Schn.). 



4 Scales ovate, 6-sided, imbricate, keeled, or with the keel reduced 

 to a tubercle on the centre of the scales ; head and gape 

 moderate. 



* Labial shields occupying the greater part of the lips ; the eyes 

 over the fourth, or rarely over the third, or the fourth or 

 fifth shield ; ventral shield united. 



5. Enltydrina. Rostral plates narrow, erect ; lower linear, sunken ; 

 nasal narrowed in front ; ventral shield flat ; head moderate, short ; 

 eyes moderate. 



E. Bmgalentis. Madras. 

 E. Valakadyen. Madras. 



6. Hydrophi*. Rostral broad, transverse ; lower triangular ; nasal 

 truncated or notched in front ; ventral shield flat ; head short ; eyes 

 small. 



H. obscura, the Shootur Sun. Madras. 



H. Lindiayii. China. 



H.fasciata. Indian Ocean. 



][. I'igrocincta, the Kerril. Bengal. 



H. doliata, the Black-Headed Kerril. Australia. 



//. subcincta, Shaw's Chittul. Indian Ocean. 



//. mblavii, the Chittul. China and Indian Ocean. 



H. mentalis, the Pale Chittul. Indian Ocean. 



//. ocdlata, the Eyed Chittul. Australian Seas. 



//. ipiralis, the Shiddil. Indian Ocean. 



//. subannulata, the Ringed Sea-Snake. India. 



H. atpera, the Rough Sea-Snake. Singapore. 



H. ccerulescens, the Bluish Sea-Snake. Bengal. 



7. Chitv.Ua. Rostral broad, transverse ; lower triangular ; nasal 

 truncated or notched in front ; ventral shields flat ; head elongate, 

 depressed ; eyes large. 



C. inornata. Indian Ocean. 

 C. fatciata. Indian Ocean. 



8. Kerilia. Rostral broad, transverse; lower triangular; nasal 

 truncated in front; ventral shield broad, convex, forming a slight 

 keeled ridge ; the hinder ones with a keel on each side ; head short, 

 shelving ; scales very large, broad, 6-sided ; eyes rather large, over 

 third and fourth labial shields. 



K. Jerdonii, the Kerilia. Madras. 



** Labial shield occupying the front half of the lip ; eyes over the 

 fifth or sixth shield ; hinder part of the face covered with small 

 scales ; ventral scales generally 2-rowed, forming a keeled ridge, 

 some united in pairs into 6-sided shields. 



