1920.] Dr. Maixolm Smith : Sea Snakes. ii 



Distira spiralis (part), Wall, Mem. Asiat. Soc. Bengal, II (8), 

 p. 212 (1909). 



Hydrophis wrayi, Blgr., Fauna Malay Pen., Kept, and Batr., 

 p. 185 (1912). 



15 exs., Kuala Kurau, Coast of Perak. 

 All the differences between H. wrayi Blgr., and H. 

 melanosoma Giinth., being disposed of by the above series, 

 Mr. Boulenger is in agreement with me that his species 

 should become a synonym of Giinther's. The type of H. 

 wrayi is from the coast of Perak. The type locality of H. 

 melanosoma is unknown. Both forms were described 

 from single examples. 



On the whole my series is a very uniform lot, and shews 

 remarkably little variation. The eye in the adult is always 

 shorter than its distance to the mouth ; the frontal is as 

 long as its distance to the rostral in two examples, shorter 

 than in thirteen ; four infralabials are in contact with the 

 chin-shields, which are subequal in size ; the posterior pair 

 are in contact in one example, partly separated in eight, 

 completely separated in six. Seven supralabials and a 

 single anterior temporal occur in every example. 



Boulenger has described the body scales of his specimen 

 as " feebly imbricate," while Gunther uses " distinctly 

 imbricate " for his. I should use the latter expression for 

 my specimens. Those on the neck and anterior part of the 

 body are longer than broad, with obtusely pointed extremi- 

 ties, those on the posterior part are more rounded, and as 

 broad as or broader than, long. The strength of the 

 keeling is variable and differs with age. Ventrals distinct 

 throughout, bicarinate. Fragmentation of the fourth and 

 fifth supralabials occurs in two examples. In one the 

 frontals and praefrontals are fused, and in another the sixth 

 and seventh supralabials are fused on one side. In no 

 instance do the praefrontals fail to touch the supralabials. 

 A small cuneiform scale is usually present after the second 

 and third infralabials. 



Colour. — Greenish yellow, the dorsal scales with 

 black margins, and with 50 to 70 broad black bands, usually 

 as broad above as below, and about twice as broad as their 

 interspaces. Some of them are incomplete ventrally. Head 

 black, uniform or with a yellowish mottling which is chiefly 

 confined to the snout. 



In two examples, Nos. 1121 and 1122, the bands narrow 

 ventrally, so that upon the belly they are about as broad as 

 their interspaces. Judging from my specimens, the coloura- 

 tion of this snake does not appear to undergo much 

 alteration with age. 



Dentition. — Posterior maxillary, 5 or 6 ; palatine, 7 ; 

 pterygoid, 11 or 12 ; mandibular, 14 (2 specimens 

 examined) . 



Wall, in his Monograph, places both melanosoma and 

 wrayi under spiralis (brugmansi), and writing again quite 

 recently (Journ. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc, XXVI, p. 431, May, 



