SNAKES OF CEYLON. 369 



Maxilla : Not extending beyond palatine anteriorly ; extend- 

 ing beyond palatine posteriorly. 



Dentition. — -From one skull in my collection. Maxillary : 

 Postnodal, 9 to 11 ;* feebly scaphiodont. Palatine : 8 ; 

 anododont, isodont ; no edentulous space posteriorly. 

 Pterygoid : 21 to 22 ; anododont, feebly scaphiodont ; posterior 

 third edentulous. Mandibular : 18 to 20 ; anododont, 

 scaphiodont. 



There is one species, viz., ornata. 



Chitulia ornata (Gray). 



(Latin " ornata " adorned.) 



Gray's Seasnake. 



Synonymy. — Aturia ornata, Chitulia inornata, Hydrophis 

 ocellata, H. striatus, H. schlegeli, H. Isevis, H. ellioti, Thalas- 

 sophis schlegelii, Distira ornata, D. andamanica. 



History. — First described and christened by Gray in 1842, 

 from a young specimen which is the type, and preserved in 

 the British Museum. 



General Characters. — A species of respectable proportions 

 and robust habit growing to about 4 feet. Head moderately 

 elongate, slightly depressed. Snoufc moderately long, 

 declivous, obtusely rounded terminally. Eye moderate. 

 Commissure of mouth turned up posteriorly. Neck slightly 

 if at all apparent. Body anteriorly cylindrical and robust ; 

 posteriorly compressed and rather heavy ; the extreme depth 

 being twice or less than twice the depth anteriorly. 



Identification. — The following syndrome will determine its 

 identity : Scale rows 33 to 41 two heads -lengths behind the 

 head, 38 to 46 at the extreme girth ; Ventrals 218 to 290 ; 

 the eccentric tubercle ; and the absence of any cuneate 

 shield. 



* I have examined these in many specimens. 



