5G8 FISHING HYDIIUS. 



trunk four inches and a half: head somewhat 

 broader than the neck, yet appearing small in pro- 

 portion to the trunk : rather convex above, com- 

 pressed on the sides, and projecting into a short 

 obtuse or subtruncated snout, which is covered 

 with smallish laminse of various sizes : the remain- 

 der of the head, as well as of the whole upper 

 parts, with ovate or suborbicular carinated scales, 

 smallest on the head : eyes small and vertical : 

 mouth not large : teeth close set, not regular, 

 small, and reflex ; a marginal and two palatal 

 rows in the upper jaw. Colour of the scaly part 

 of the snout pale cinereous ; the rest of the animal 

 very deep grey or ash-colour : abdomen tinged 

 with yellow : tail a little compressed, eight inches 

 in length, moderately tapering, and terminating 

 in an obtuse point. Sent to Dr. Russel from 

 Ganjam in July 1788 : the particulars of its his- 

 tory unknown : placed in this genus by Schneider 

 from its habit and alliance with the preceding. 



FISHING HYDRUS. 



Hydras Piscator. H. fuscchfiavcscens, maculis rutundath 



lineisque conncctentibus. 

 Brownish-yellow Hydrus, with rounded black spots joined by 



connecting lines. 



Hydrus Piscator. Sclmcid. Amph. p. 247. 

 Neeli Koca. Russ. Lid. Serp. p. 38. pi. 33. 



LENGTH about two feet nine inches: circum 

 ference three inches and a half: head rather 



