1872.] HIMALAYAN, AND OTHER REPTILES. 401 



1 1 inch. It has, however, thirty-two rows of scales round the neck, 

 240 ventrals, and three praeaual shields on one side and two on the 

 other. It has twenty-six hlack rhombic spots on the back, continued 

 as vertical bars on to the sides, and confluent on the ventral shields, 

 which are wholly black and six times as large as the neighbouring 

 scales, which are smooth. It has on either side a minute detached 

 praeocular. 



I have received from Muscat, Ar?'-a, another specimen of this 

 species, measuring 27 inches, of which the tail forms 2|, with 238 

 ventrals and twenty-six rows of keeled scales round the neck. 



Two other specimens from Puri have been sent to this Museum 

 since the above was written ; and I am inclined to regard both as 

 forms of 77. viperina. They are young, and measure respectively 

 I3 g inches, of which the tail forms § inch, and 1 If, of which the tail 

 is lg inch. The first specimen has twenty-eight rows of scales 

 round the neck and 267 ventral shields, while the second has twenty- 

 nine cervical rows and 255 ventrals. Both have three pairs of anal 

 shields ; but as the condition of these shields in the above-mentioned 

 young specimen would appear to indicate that these structures are 

 variable in their number, too much importance cannot be attached 

 to their numerical increase in the specimens under consideration as 

 compared with the type. The third labial does not enter the orbit. 

 On one side in one specimen there are two prseoculars. The first tem- 

 poral, on both sides in one specimen and on one side in another, is 

 considerably higher than broad ; while on the remaining side of the 

 last and on both sides of the former a narrow temporal, longer than 

 high, is separated, as it were, from the great anterior temporal. 



These three young specimens were caught at one haul of a net, 

 which would appear to indicate that the young of this species swim 

 in shoals. When adult Hydrophides are caught in the net, there 

 are, as a rule, always two or three of a species. 



As one of these young snakes killed a chicken that it was made to 

 bite, the species would appear to be endowed with an active poison. 



Hydrophis jerdoni, Gray; Gthr. 1. c. p. 362. 



I have received a specimen from Puri measuring 38f inches in 

 length, the tail measuring 4 inches. 



Enhydrina valacadyen, Boie. 



One specimen, from Puri, with a divided postocular on one side. 



Crotalid^e. 

 Trimeresurus monticola, Gthr. 

 Katmandoo, Nepaul. 



Halys himalayanus, Gthr. 



I have received a Pit-viper from Goduk which may be provision- 

 ally referred to the above species. It has, however, its anterior 

 frontals in a straight transverse line, as in H. pallasi, and only the 



Proc. Zool. Soc— 1872, No. XXVI. 



