208. HTBBOPHIS. 275 



Head moderate; body moderately elongate. Eostral broader 

 -than deep ; nasals more than twice as long as the suture between 

 the prsefrontals ; frontal much longer than broad, as long as its 

 .distance from the end of the snout, a little shorter than the 

 parietals ; one prse- and one postocular ; two superposed anterior 

 temporals ; seven upper labials, third and fourth entering the eye ; 

 two pairs of small chin-shields, posterior separated from each other 

 by scales. 32 scales round the neck, 43 round the body ; scales with 

 a small tubercle or short keel, feebly imbricate anteriorly, juxta^ 

 posed posteriorly. Yellowish, with a dorsal series of transverse 

 ihomboidal black spots ; head black above. 



Total length 665 millim. ; tail 85. 



Molucca Sea. 



5. Hydrophis longiceps. 



Chitulia fasciata, Ch-ay, Cat. p. 66 (1829). 



Hydrophis longiceps, Gunth, Sept. Brit. Ind. p. 875, pi. xxv. fig. O 

 (1864). 



Head moderate ; body moderately elongate. Eostral broader than 

 •deep ; nasals shorter than the frontal, nearly thrice as long as the 

 suture between the preefrontals ; frontal much longer than broad, 

 •slightly shorter than its distance from the end of the snout, shorter 

 than the parietals ; one prse- and two postoculars ; two superposed 

 anterior temporals ; eight upper labials, second largest and in 

 contact with the praefrontal, third and fourth entering the eye ; 

 two pairs of chin-shields, in contact with each other. 28 to 30 

 scales round the neck, 34 round the body; scales smooth and 

 imbricate on the neck, juxtaposed and with a short tubercular keel 

 on the body. Ventrals very small but distinct throughout, 271, 

 •Greyish above, with dark olive cross-bars separated by narrow 

 interspaces ; sides and lower parts uniform white. 



Total length 780 millim. ; tail 95. 



Indian Ocean. 



a. $ (V. 271). Indian Ocean. Sir E. Belcher [P.] (Type.) 



6. HydropMs csemlescens. 



Hydrus cserulescens, Shaw, Zool. iii. p. 561 (1802). 



Enhydria caerolescens, Merr. Tent. p. 140 (1820). 



Hydrophis cserulescens, Gray, Zool. Misc. p. 62 (1842), and Cat, 



p. 65 (1849) ; Oiinth. Mept. Brit. Ind. p. 365, pi. xxv. fig. (1864) ; 



Bouleng. Faun. Ind., Bept. p. 400 (1890). 



Head very small ; anterior part of the body very slender, its 

 diameter about one third the depth of the posterior part. Bostral 

 broader than deep ; frontal longer than broad, shorter than its 

 distance from the rostral, much shorter than the parietals ; one 

 prse- and one postocular ; two superposed anterior temporals ; 

 seven upper labials, third and fourth entering the eye ; chin-shields 

 very small, posterior pair separated by scales, 35 to 38 scales 



t2 



