3S6 CLASS REPTILIA. 



mentions hydrophides, or pelamides in three different places. 

 We shall slightly notice the most interesting species. 



The hydrophis obscurus, Daud.. has been found in the 

 saline waters of a river near Calcutta, which divides into two 

 parts the country of Bengal, and is called Sunderbunds. 

 This serpent swims with great facility, but moves with diffi- 

 culty on the ground, and soon dies there, which it also does if 

 plunged into fresh water. It has been figured by Russel. 

 The Hindoos call it kalo-shoutuo'-sun. 



The hydrophis cloris has the same habitat and manners as 

 the foregoing reptile. It appears to be ovo-viviparous, for 

 Russel, who has figured it in the seventh plate of his supple- 

 ment, found in the belly of a female two well-formed young 

 ones, and an egg not yet enclosed. The Indians call it shou- 

 tur-sun. 



The hydrophis nigrocinctus inhabits the same place>s as 

 the last two. The Indians call it T^eril-patee^ and it appears 

 very venomous. A bird bitten by it in the thigh died in 

 convulsions at the end of seven minutes. 



The hydrophis melanurus of Wagler, a figure of which 

 is inserted, is an inhabitant of India. It is an extremely 

 elegant snake, whose specific characters we shall not insert 

 here. It is nearly allied to, if not a variety of, the hydrus 

 spiralis of Shaw, Zool. iii. 564. 



For the rest of the division hydrus we have nothing to 

 add, excepting that some of the species appear to be harm- 

 less. 



The last and the most singular genus of the ophidians is 

 the CcECiLiA, which has been sometimes placed among the 

 batracians, and in this, as in many other cases, it is exceed- 

 ingly difficult to draw the line of distinction. 



The first description of the coecilia was given by Linnseus 

 at Upsal, in 1748, from a preserved specimen, but it is but 



