2I 7 



2. Platurus laticaudatus (L.). 



Coluber laticaudatus^ Linn, Mus. Ad. Frid. 1754, p. 31, pi. XVI, fig. I. 

 Platurus laticaudatus, Boulenger. Cat. Sn. Ill 1896, p. 307. 

 Laticauda laticaudata, Barbour, Mem. Mus. Comp. Zool. Harv. Coll. XLIV 

 1912, p. 131. 



Rostral more deep than broad, in contact with six shields; 

 two internasals and two praefrontals, separated from the labials; 

 frontal not longer than the parietals, in contact with six 

 shields; supraoculars entire; parietals entire; nasals lateral, in 

 contact with the two anterior labials; one prae- and two post- 

 oculars; temporals i + 2; seven or eight upper labials, third 

 and fourth entering the eye ; two pair of chin-shields, both in 

 contact. Scales smooth, in 19 rows, vertebrals enlarged in the 

 posterior part of the body; ventrals 210 246, the last ventral 

 sometimes divided; anal divided. 



Olive or greyish above, with 29 48 black annuli. Lower 

 surface yellowish. Length of head and body 880 mm.; tail 90 mm. 



Habitat: Pulu Babi!; Nias; Sumatra (Sabang on Pulu 

 Weh!, Atjeh!, Serdang, Gunung Sugei in Lampong district); 

 Java; Flores!; Timor!; Borneo; Ternate; Halmahera; Aru 

 Islands; New Guinea; Schouten Islands (Mysore). Australia; 

 New Hebrides; Fiji Islands; Loo Choo Islands; China; Philip- 

 pines; Siam; Bengal. 



3. Platurus colubrinus (Schneider). 



Hydrus colubrinus, Schneider, Hist. Amph. I 1799, p. 238. 

 Platurus colubrinus^ Boulenger, Cat. Sn. Ill 1896, p. 308. 



Rostral more deep than broad, in contact with six shields; 

 two internasals; praefrontals with a third shield in a row, 

 separated from the labials; frontal as long as or shorter than 

 the parietals, in contact with seven shields; supraoculars and 

 parietals entire; nasals lateral, in contact with the two or 

 three anterior labials; one prae- and two postoculars; temporals 

 1+2 or 2 + 2; six or seven upper labials, third and fourth 

 entering the eye; two pair of chin-shields, both in contact. 

 Scales smooth, in 21 25 rows; ventrals 195 245, the last or 

 two often divided; anal divided. 



Olive-brown above, with 28 54 black annuli, sometimes 

 interrupted below. Lower surface yellowish. Length of head 

 and body 1145 mm.; tail 125 mm.; reaches a length of i.6oM. 



