208. HYDROPHIS. 275 -. 
Head moderate; body moderately elongate. Rostral broader 
than deep; nasals more than twice as long as the suture between 
the preefrontals; frontal much longer than broad, as long as its 
distance from the end of the snout, a little shorter than the 
parietals; one pre- and one postocular; two superposed anterior 
temporals ; seven upper labials, third and fourth entering the eye ; 
two pairs of small chin-shields, posterior separated from each other 
‘by scales. 32 scales round the neck, 43 round the body ; scales with 
a small tubercle or short keel, feebly imbricate anteriorly, juxta- 
posed posteriorly. Yellowish, with a dorsal series of transverse 
rhomboidal black spots ; head black above. 
Total length 665 millim. ; tail 85. 
Molucca Sea, 
5. Hydrophis longiceps. 
Chitulia fasciata, Gray, Cat. p. 56 (1829). 
Hydrophis longiceps, Giinth, Rept. Brit. Ind. p. 375, pl. xxv. fig. O 
(1864). 
Head moderate ; body moderately elongate. Rostral broader than 
deep ; nasals shorter than the frontal, nearly thrice as long as the 
suture between the prefrontals; frontal much longer than broad, 
slightly shorter than its distance from the end of the snout, shorter 
than the parietals; one pre- and two postoculars; two superposed 
anterior temporals; eight upper labials, second largest and in 
contact with the prefrontal, third and fourth entering the eye; 
two pairs of chin-shields, in contact with each other. 28 to 30 
scales round the neck, 34 round the body; scales smooth and 
imbricate on the neck, juxtaposed and with a short tubercular keel 
on the body. Ventrals very small but distinct throughout, 271. 
Greyish above, with dark olive cross-bars separated by narrow 
interspaces; sides and lower parts uniform white. 
Total length 780 millim. ; tail 95. 
Indian Ocean. . 
a. 2 (V. 271). Indian Ocean. Sir E. Belcher [P.] (Type.) 
6. Hydrophis cerulescens. 
Hydrus cerulescens, Shaw, Zool. iii. p. 561 (1802). 
Enhydris cerulescens, Merr. Tent. p. 140 (1820). 
Hydrophis cerulescens, Gray, Zool. Misc. p. 62 (1842), and Cat. 
p- 55 (1849); Giinth. Rept. Brit. Ind. p. 365, pl. xxv. fig. C (1864) ; 
Bouleng. Faun. Ind., Rept. p. 400 (1890). 
Head very small; anterior part of the body very slender, its 
diameter about one third the depth of the posterior part. Rostral 
broader than deep; frontal longer than broad, shorter than its 
distance from the rostral, much shorter than the parietals; one 
pre- and one postocular; two superposed anterior temporals ; 
seven upper labials, third and fourth entering the eye; chin-shields 
very small, posterior pair separated by scales. 35 “er 38 scales 
T 
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