RBPTILIA. 265 



genus Pseudelaps (Aspidomorphus FITZING.). Here also several small 

 snakes of Australia seem to find their place. They shew some resemblance 

 to Calamaria, in which genus SCHLEGEL placed the only one known to him 

 (Calamaria diadema}. With DDMERIL and BIBEON these species form the 

 genus Furina. 



Bungarus DAUD., MERR., DUM. and BIBR., Aspidodonion 

 WAGL. Head scutate above, obtuse. Several small teeth behind 

 the poison-fang in upper jaw. Subcaudal scutes all unpaired. 

 Larger hexagonal scales, in a single row in keel of back. 



Sp. Bungarus Candidas mihi, Bungarus semifasciatus KUHL, SCHLEG., Coluber 

 candidus L., Mus. Ad. Frid. Tab. vn. fig. i, Bungarus cceruleus DAUD., 

 DUM., BIBR., RUSSELL Serp. i. fig. i ; according to DUMERIL and BIBRON 

 a distinct species ; Bungarus annularis DAUD., RUSSELL, PI. in., DAUD. 

 Rept. v. PI. 65 ; compare also SCHLEGEL, Abbild., Tab. 18 ; both from the 

 continent and the large islands of the East Indies. 



Note. Here would seem to belong Megcerophis, a genus indi- 

 cated by GRAY, Annals of Nat. Hist. Second Series, iv. 1849, p. 247. 



Family VII. Hydrophes. Head scutate, small. Several 

 small slender teeth in upper jaw behind the poison-fang. Body 

 round, elongate, slender anteriorly, gradually becoming thicker 

 and terminating in tail, compressed, broad, two-edged. Scales 

 hexagonal, often scarcely imbricate, covering body as though 

 with a net. 



Water-snakes. Some species occur occasionally at the mouth of 

 rivers, others live in the open sea, where they are often met with 

 far from all land; they swim together in large troops, and are very 

 venomous. ^ELIANUS has very distinctly indicated these serpents 

 as inhabitants of the Indian sea, with a flat tail, and many teeth in 

 their mouth. De Natura Animal., Lib. xvi. c. 8. 



Compare CANTOR Observations upon pelagic Serpents, Trans, of Zool. 

 Soc. n. 1839, PP- 33 3 J 3> P1 - & and T - G - FISHER Die Familie der 

 See-schlangen systematisch beschrieben. Abhandl. herausgegeb. von dem 

 naturJiist. Verein in Hamburg, in. 1856, pp. i 78, Tab. i in. 



Platurus LATR., DAUD., FITZ. (and Aipysurus LAC., DUM., 

 BIER). Abdomen scutate; subcaudal scutes in a double row. 

 Scales smooth. 



Sp. Platurus colubrinus nob., Platurus fasciatus LATR., Coluber laticaudatus 

 L., Mus. Ad. Frid. Tab. xvi, fig. i, Cuv. R. Ani., ed. ill, Kept. PI. 36 ; in 

 the Indian Ocean. Aipysurus Icevis LAC., Thalassophis anguillceformis 

 SCHMIDT, Ann. du Mus. iv. PI. 56, fig. 8, (a distinct species). 



