Vou. III] VAN DENBURGH AND THOMPSON—NEW SEA SNAKE 43 
Description of the Type—Head not distinct from neck, convex above; 
snout tapering and slightly projecting; eye large, its diameter equaling 
one and a half times its distance from mouth. Neck small, less than one- 
third greatest depth of body, slender portion short, less than one-fourth 
total length. Body compressed, width less than one-half depth, greatest 
depth about three and one-half times that of neck. Tail about one-tenth 
total length. Rostral nearly as deep as broad, breadth .0024M., depth 
.0021M.; sutures with first labial converge a trifle above, upper angle a 
little less than a right angle; facet for nasal .0012M., longer than facet 
for labial; lower border with convex median protuberance about one 
millimeter wide, fitting into deep concavity in mental; on each side of this 
protuberance are little concavities into which fit external superior angles 
of mental; portion of rostral visible from above about one mm. long. 
Nasal .003M. long, .002M. wide; anterior border formed by facets for 
rostral and first labial, latter shorter; mutual facet straight, .0023M. long; 
posterior borders of nasals nearly in straight line, if anything forming 
an angle with apex posterior; facet for second labial divided into two 
portions by suture running from anterior external quadrant of nostril out- 
ward and slightly forward to middle of second labial; nostril oval, long 
axis (.0008M.) parallel to suture of nasal and rostral plates; between 
nostril and prefrontal plate is a dent or suggestion of suture in nasal shield. 
Prefrontal broadly in contact with its fellow and second labial; length 
.0015M.; breadth .002M.; mutual suture .0009M.; anterior external angle 
acute; facet for frontal .0012M., a trifle longer than that for supraocular; 
facet for preocular .001M. Frontal one and one half times as long as 
broad, length .003M., breadth .0019M.; .003M. from rostral; supraocular 
facets .0014M., parallel; parietal facet .0014M.; posterior angle barely 
acute; anterior angle obtuse. Parietal .003M. long, .0025M. wide; mutual 
suture .0028M.; anterior angle obtuse; facet for superior postocular 
.0005M.; facet for anterior temporal .0014M., posterior .0024M.; posterior 
angle rounded, touching a single scale which lies between the azygos shield 
and posterior temporal. Preocular one, in contact with second and third 
labials. Postoculars two (normally one), superior a little larger. Tem- 
porals one followed by one; posterior larger, its suture with parietal 
nearly twice as long as that of anterior. Superior labials six; third and 
fourth entering eye; first nearly square; second greatly produced upward 
and backward, touching preocular and prefrontal. Mental .0018M. wide, 
.0007M. long. Infralabials eight; first in contact with its fellow; fourth 
very small; fifth largest. Genials in two pairs; subequal; anterior in con- 
tact; posterior partially separated by a single scale. Gastrosteges 360; 
distinct throughout; nearly all with two tubercles; on anterior part of 
body vary from one and one-fourth times to nearly twice size of scales 
in adjoining row. Preanals five; outer pair about three times as large as 
inner. Scales on neck in 28 rows, subimbricate, smooth, longer than broad, 
with truncate apex; on body, in 44 rows, oblong in a few median dorsal 
rows, majority on sides as broad as long, some a trifle broader than long; 
smooth on anterior portion of body, gradually acquiring a single tubercle 
and changing to hexagonal type posteriorly. . 
