LAPEMIS 249 



superficial resemblance to Enhydrma valakadyn (Boie). I have 

 found no specimens that are referable to this species. 



Genus LAPEMIS Gray 



Enhydris, part., Meerem, Tent. Syst. Amph. (1820) 140 (not of La- 



treille 1802). 

 Hydro-phis, part., Schlegel, Phys. Serp. 2 (1837) 512; Dumeril and 



BlERON, Erp. Gen. 7 (1854) 1341; jAN, Elenco Sist. Ofid. (1863) 



109; GtJNTHER, Rept. Brit. India (1864) 360. 

 Lapemis Gray, 111. Ind. Zool. 2 (1834) pi. 87, fig. 2; Zool. Misc. (1842) 



60; Cat. Vip. Snakes (1849) 43; Stejneger, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. 



58 (1907) 435. 

 Pelamis, part., Fischer, Abh. Naturw. Hamburg 3 (1856) 61. 

 Enhydris Boulenger, Fauna Brit. India, Rept. (1890) 393; Cat. Snakes 



Brit. Mus. 3 (1896) 300; Wall, Mem. As. Soc, Bengal 2 (1907-10) 



246. 



"Maxillary as long- as the ectopterygoid, extending forwards 

 as far as the palatine, with two large poison-fangs and 2 to 4 

 small feebly-grooved teeth. Nostrils superior ; head-shields 

 large; nasals in contact with each other; a praeocular; loreal 

 present or absent. Body short and stout; scales hexagonal or 

 squarish, juxtaposed; ventrals very feebly developed, if at all 

 distinct." (Boidenger.) 



Two species of this genus are known, Lapemis curtus Shaw, 

 confined to the coasts of India and Ceylon, and Lapemis hard- 

 wickii Gray, which is found in the Bay of Bengal and the waters 

 bounding the Malay Peninsula and Malay Archipelago. The 

 latter species is the commonest water snake in Manila Bay, as 

 many as a hundred being brought in with a single haul of a net 

 in the shallow water along the coast. The snakes may be seen 

 swimming in the water or coming to the surface to breathe about 

 the swimming rafts on Pasay Beach. 



LAPEMIS HARDWICKII Gray 



Lapemis hardwickii Geay, 111. Ind. Zool. 2 (1834) pi. 87, fig. 2; Cat. 

 Vip. Snakes (1849) 44; Stejneger, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. 58 (1907) 

 435. 



Hydrophis pelamidoides ScHLEGEL, Phys. Serp. 2 (1837) 512, Atlas, 

 pi. 18, figs. 16, 17; Fauna Jap., Rept. (1838) pi. 9; Dumeril and 

 BiBRON, Erp. Gen. 7 (1854) 1845;, Fischer, Abh. Naturw. Hamburg 

 (1856) 64, pi. 3; Jan, Icon. Gen. (1872) livr. 41, pi. 3, fig. 1. 



Lapemis loreatus GRAY, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist, 11 (1843) 46. 



Hydrophis hardwickii Gunther, Rept. Brit. India (1864) 380, pi. 25, 

 fig. W.; Anderson, Journ. Linn. Soc. 21 (1889) 348. 



Hydrophis loreata Gunther. Rept. Brit. India (1864) 380; Boettger, 

 Zool. Anz. (1888) 396. 



Hydrophis fayreriana, Anuerson, Journ. As. Soc. Bengal 40 (1871) 19. 



Hydrophis problcinaticus jAN, Rev. & Mag. Zool. (1859) 150 (Ma- 

 nila?). 



