286 



COLTJBEID^. 



its fellow ; head-shields large ; prseooular present, loreal usually 

 absent. Body more Or less elongate ; scales on the anterior part ot 

 the body imbricate ; ventrals more or less distinct, very small. 



Indian and Pacific Oceans, from the Persian Gulf to Japan and 

 'New Caledonia. 



Fig. 20. 



Skull of Sistira stoJcesii. 



Synopsis of the Species. 



I. All the scales strongly imbricate ; ventrals usually in pairs and 



pointed, except quite anteriorly ; no chin-shields ; 39-47 scales 

 round the neck, 48-57 round the body ; ventrals 230-267. 



1. StoJcesii, p. 288. 



II. Scales on posterior part of body feebly imbricate, or juxtaposed ; 



23-42 scales round the neck, 32-50 round the body j one or 

 two pairs of chin-shields. 



A. Frontal shield longer than broad. 



1. Second pair of chin-shields, if distinct, separated by several 

 scales. 



a. Two or three superposed anterior temporals ; ventrals 

 200-300. 



Rostral as deep as broad ; 31-36 scales 

 round the neck, 36-41 round the 

 body 2. major, p. 289. 



