298 COLUBRID&. 
or three postoculars; eight upper labials, second largest, third and 
fourth entering the eye ; two or three superposed anterior temporals ; 
two pairs of subequal chin-shields, in contact, or posterior separated 
by one scale. 30 to 33 scales round the neck, 43 to 47 round the 
body; scales rhomboidal and subimbricate on the neck, hexagonal 
and juxtaposed on the body, of young smooth, of adult female with 
a feeble tubercle or keel, of adult male with a strong spinose tubercle. 
Ventrals distinct throughout, 300-387. Young yellowish or greyish 
olive above, white beneath, with complete black rings which are 
broadest on the back; head black, with an angular yellow 
(vermilion) band above, ‘the apex on the snout; tail black, with 
light vertical bands at the base. In the adult the bands become 
more obsolete and are not continued across the body, and the head 
is uniform olive-brown. 
Total length 940 millim. ; tail 90. 
Coasts of Baluchistan, India, and Ceylon. 
a. Yg. (V. 305). Madras, T. ©. Jerdon, E 
6. Hgr. (V. 332). Ceylon. Zoological Bocas ie ay 
ec. d (V. 387). Ceylon. EH. W. H. Holdaworth, 
d, Hgr. (V. 328). Ceylon. E. W. H. Holdsworth, Eat {o 
(Type of H. Bad } 
e. Hgr. (V. 300). Ceylon. Miss Layard [P.]. 
Ft. 2 (V. 362). Poorie, Orissa. Sir J. Fayrer | P. }. 
g. Yg. (V.345). Gwadar, Baluch- W. T. Blanford, [P.] 
istan. 
17. Distira viperina. 
Thalassophis viperina, Schmidt, Abh, Naturw. Hamb, li. 1852, 
p- 79, pl. iii. 
Disteira prescutata, Dum. § Bibr. vii. p. 1381 (1854). 
+ drophis doliata, Fischer, Abh. Naturw. Hamb, iii. 1856, p. 56. 
ydro his obscurus (non Daud.), Jan, Rev. § Mag. Zool. 1859, 
Pi ar at , Prodr. pl. D (1859), and Icon. Ophid. 40, pl. vi. fig. 2 
872), 
Hydrophis viperina, Giinth. Rept. Brit. Ind. p. 878 (1864) ; Anders. 
Proc. poe Soc. 1872, p. 400; Boettg. Ber. i 1668, p. dd Ver, Nat. 1888, 
p. 91; . Ann, eM Mag. N. H. Wt 
— erie ouleng. Ann. § Mug. H. (5) ee 1687, p. 408; 
Anders. Journ. Linn, Soc. xxi. 1889, p. 348 
—— plumbea, Murray, Journ. Bomb. ’N. H. Soe. ii. 1887, p. 34, 
Distira viperina, Bouleng. Faun. Ind., Rept. p. 413 (1890). 
Head rather small; body moderately elongate, rather slender 
anteriorly. Rostral as deep as broad; nasals as long as or a little 
shorter than the frontal; suture between the prefrontals very 
short; frontal as broad as long, as long as its distance from the 
rostral or the end of the snout, shorter than the parietals; one or 
two pre-and one or two postoculars; seven or eight upper labials, 
second largest, fourth or third and fourth entering the eye; one or 
two anterior temporals; two pairs of chin-shields, in contact with 
each other, posterior longest. 27 to 29 scales round the neck, 37 
to 43 round the body ; scales juxtaposed, obtusely keeled, Ventrals 
