209. DISTIRA. 295 
Enhydris striatus, Merr. 1. ¢. 
Hydrus cyanocinctus, Bote, Isis, 1827, p. 354. 
Hydrophis striata, Schleg. Faun. Japon., Rept. p. 89, pl. vii. (1837), and 
Phys. Serp. ii. p. 502, pl. xviii. figs. 4 & 5 (1837); Fischer, Abh. 
Naturw. Hamb. iii. 1856, p. 41. 
Hydrus striatus, part., Cantor, Cat. Mal. Rept. p. 126 (1847). 
Hydrophis subannulata, Gray, Cat. p. 54 (1849). 
—— aspera, Gray, l. c. p. 55; Giinth. Rept. Brit. Ind. p.365 (1864). 
—— cyanocincta, part., Giinth. 1. c. p. 867. 
trachyceps, Preob. Cat. Rept. As. Soc. Mus. 1868, p. 70. 
crassicollis, Anders. Journ. As. Soc. Beng. xl. 1871, p. 19. 
—— westermanni, Jan, Icon. Gén. 39, pl. v. fig. 1 (1872). 
Ty phipsoni, Murray, Journ. Bomb. N. H. Soe. ii. 1887, p. 82, 
Fok taprobanica, Haly, Taprobanian, ii. 1887, p. 107. 
Distira cyanocincta, Bouleng. Faun. Ind., Rept. p. 410 (1890); 
W. Sclater, Journ. As. Soc. Beng. |x. 1891, p. 247; Boettg. Ber. 
Offenb. Ver. Nat. 1892, p. 90. 
Head moderate ; body elongate. Mostral slightly broader than 
deep; nasals shorter than the frontal, twice, or rather more than 
twice, as long as the suture between the prefrontals ; frontal much 
longer than broad, as long asits distance from the rostral or the end 
of the snout, shorter than the parietals; one pre-and two post- 
oculars; seven or eight upper labials, second largest, third and fourth, 
fourth and fifth, or third, fourth, and fifth, entering the eye; two 
superposed anterior temporals ; two pairs of subequal chin-shields, 
in contact on the middle line, or posterior pair separated by one 
scale. 27 to 33 scales round the neck, 39 to 45 round the middle - 
of the body ; scales rhomboidal and subimbricate, with a short keel 
which is very strong, and broken up into two or three tubercles in 
adult males. Ventrals distinct throughout, smooth or with two or 
more tubercles, 281-385. Greenish olive above, with dark olive or 
black cross-bars or annuli, broadest on the back, and sometimes 
joined by a black band running along the belly ; or yellowish with a 
black vertebral stripe sending off a few bar-like processes on the neck. 
Total length 1500 millim.; tail 140. 
From the Persian Gulf and the coasts of India to China and 
Japan and Papuasia. 
A. Black annuli complete and connected by a black band along 
the belly. . 
a-b. 3 (V. 343) & hgr. Bushire. K. Lort Phillips, Esq. 
V. 326). 3; 
ec. Yg. (V. 306). Persian Gulf. 
d. Hgr. (V. 344), Malabar. Col. Beddome [C.]. 
e. 2 (V. 815). Madras. F. Day, Esq. [P.]. 
f. 2 (V. 296). Sunderbunds, Dr. P. Russell, College 
Bengal. of Surgeons [E. ]. 
g, h-k. 9 (V. 810) & yg. Formosa. R. Swinhoe, Esq. [C.]. 
(V. 808, 305, 303). 
B. Black annuli complete but not connected by a band along 
the belly. 
a. Yg. (V. 389). Malabar. Col. Beddome [C. ]. 
