68 ACCOUNT OF A WATER-SNAKE. 



While we were yet engaged in this strait, my 

 tow-net captured a water-snake. (Hydrophis 

 bicolor.)* It was two feet in length; the upper 

 surface of the body uniformly black ; the inferior 

 of a bright-yellow colour ; the tail vandyked 

 with black and white. It had the ordinary form 

 of a land snake, with the exception that the 

 belly was keel-shaped, and the tail compressed, 

 (to facilitate swimming,) and blunt at the 

 extremity. The teeth were similar to those of 

 innocuous land snakes.-}* It did not appear 

 much inconvenienced by being removed from 

 its natural element, and when taken on board 

 the ship, resembled the terrestrial snakes in its 

 modes of rearing the head, gazing fixedly, and 

 rapidly protruding and retracting a cloven 

 tongue. It did not appear, however, to possess 

 any power of progressing on land ; since, when 

 placed on the deck of the ship, it made the 

 lateral motions usual with land snakes, but 

 could not advance. It uttered no sound, nor 

 did it make any attempt to bite. On dissection 

 after death, I found several small fish in its 

 stomach. 



* Delineated in Russell's India Serpents, Vol. II., 

 Plate XLIL 



f It should be remembered, tbat some sea-snakes have 

 tubular or poisonous teeth mingled with the true teeth. 



