400 COLUBEIBA\ 



boidal, smooth or feebly keeled, feebly imbricate anteriorly, juxta- 

 posed posteriorly. Ventrals distinct anteriorly, 235 (-306). Uni- 

 form blackish. 



Total length 3 feet. 



Hub. Bengal and Cuttack coasts. 



493. HydropMs caerulescens. 



Hydrus caerulescens, Shaw, Zool. iii, p. 561. 

 Enhydris caerulescens, Merr. Tent. p. 140. 



Hydrophis caerulescens, Gray, Zool. Misc. p. 62 ; Gilnth. Rent. B. I. 

 p. 3(35, pi. xxv, fig. C. 



Head very small; anterior part of body very slender, its dia- 

 meter about one third the depth of the posterior part. Eostral 

 broader than deep ; frontal longer than broad, shorter than its 

 distance from the rostral, much shorter than the parietals ; one 

 prse- and one postocular ; two superposed anterior temporals ; 7 

 upper labials, third and fourth entering the eye ; chin-shields very 

 small, posterior pair separated by scales. 35 to 38 scales round 

 the neck, 48 to 50 round the middle of the body ; scales rhom- 

 boidal, imbricate, with a strong short keel, Ventrals distinct 

 throughout, 294-309. Grey above, with black cross bands, 

 broader on the back, which form complete rings, or are interrupted 

 on the belly ; head uniform black. 



Total length 2 feet. 



Hob. Bombay coast, Bay of Bengal, Straits of Malacca. 



494. Hydrophis nigrocinctus. 



Russell, Ind. Serp. ii, pi. vi. 



Hydrophis nigrocinctus, Daud. Rept. vii, p. 380 ; Dum. fy Bibr. Erp. 



Gen. vii, p. 1350 (part.); Giintii. Rept. B.I. p. 368, pi. xxv, 



fig. L ; Fayrer, TJianatoph. pi. xxv. 



Head small ; anterior part of body slender, its diameter about 

 two fifths the depth of the posterior part. Eostral broader than 

 deep ; nasals shorter than the frontal, about twice as long as the 

 suture between the prsefrontals ; frontal longer than broad, as long 

 as its distance from the end of the snout, shorter than the 

 parietals ; one prae- and one or two postoculars ; a small loreal 

 sometimes present ; 7 upper labials, third and fourth entering the 

 eye, second and fourth largest; two superposed anterior temporals; 

 two pairs of subequal chin-shields, posterior separated by scale?. 

 27 or 29 scales round the neck, 39 round the middle of the body ; 

 scales imbricate, rhombic, keeled. Ventrals distinct, but feebly 

 enlarged, 317-331. Pale olive above, yellowish beneath, with 

 black annuli, which are broadest on the back. 



Total length 40 inches. 



Hob. Bay of Bengal and Straits of Malacca. 



