THE POISONOUS SNAKES OF INDIA. 57 



Group 1 — Sea Snakes. 

 Identification.— Tail compressed* {i.e., flattened like an eeVs — see fig. 

 lA). Snout an. I crown covered with large plate-like shields (see fig. 6). 



Fig. 6.— PJaturus laticaudatns ( X 4 ). 

 Thesea,snak3s (Hydrophiidae) areall reputed highly venomous. Recent 

 investigations by Rogers t show that the venom of our commonest 

 species (Enhydrina valahadyen) is eight times more potent than that of 

 the binooellate cobra ! There are many published records of fatalities 

 owing to bites from sea snakes, but the name of the offender is rarely, 

 if ever given, so that our knowledge of the venoms of this family of 

 snakes is extremely meagre, — in fact, we have no certain knowledge of 

 any one of them with the exception quoted above. The recognition of 

 many of the species is extremely perplexing, and in consequence the 

 confusion in terminology is great. Even our best books are very 

 disappointing, and fail to make the recognition of many of them 

 possible. 



I hope before long to be in a position to simplify the methods now 

 in vogue, but a larger material than that to which I have had access is 

 necessary so enable me to complete my work on these creatures. I hope 

 by means of a supplementary paper to fill this gap in due course ; in the 

 meantime I will pass on to the kraits. 

 • Group 2 — The Kraits (Bungarus). 



Identification — (1) Tail round. (2) Median row of scales down the 

 bach distinctly enlarged (see fig. 7). (3) Only 4 infralabial shields, 

 the 4:th largest (see I to IV, fig. 8 $). 



• Oniy one harmless snake has a compressed tail, viz., Chersyd/rus grariulatw, an aquatic 

 species found in rivers and seas. In this the Fnout and crown are covered with small sca'es 

 only. 

 t " The Lancet;" February Cth, 1904. 



JWith reference to this latter point, care must betaken not to count the first median shield 

 which is called the mental (M). Again, the last shield along the border of the lower lip 

 which touches the posterior sublinguals (P.S.) is invariably to be considered the last infra- 

 labial. 

 8 



