Ch. XVm.] SEA-SNAKES. 305 



the whole ship's length passes within a fathom of them ; 

 but sometimes, taking alarm, they will flounder about for a 

 moment, and then dive down out of sight. When thus 

 surprised, it is not difficult to take them ia a net, for they 

 turn over before diving — it is supposed, to expel the air, 

 without which operation they cannot siuk. But if taken, 

 they must be handled with caution, for they are nearly aU 

 venomous, and are often much dreaded — and not without 

 cause — siuce they have an unpleasant habit of crawling up 

 the chains and through the hawse-holes, and thus getting 

 on board ship, where they are anything but welcome visitors. 

 They will creep about the deck — and, although I do not 

 know an instance of any one having been bitten by them — 

 I have known them cause considerable alarm, by getting 

 down into the cabin, and there making their presence first 

 known by twining round the leg of its occupant. The sea- 

 snakes, in nearly all species, have flattened compressed 

 tails, which enable them to swim with great facility — the 

 compression often including a considerable portion of the 

 body. Their eyes are usually small, and the nostrils oper- 

 culated or valvular. Among other Hydridee taken in Manilla 

 Bay, I obtained some specimens of Chersydrus granulatus 

 — a non- venomous species, which indeed differs from others 

 of this family in being an inhabitant of rivers, from which 

 they are occasionally drifted out to sea. Sharks also are 

 not uncommon in the bay ; and either sharks or venomous 

 serpents were alone sufficient to deter us from taking a 

 delightful bath, which otherwise we should much have 

 enjoj^ed in this warm place. 



For although Christmas time, the weather, after the day 

 of our arrival, was truly dehghtful, but little agreeing with 

 our preconceived ideas of the season. The days were of 



