209. DisTiEA. 297 



■two postoculars ; two superposed anterior temporals; five or six 

 upper labials, fourth bordering the eye ; two pairs of chin-shields, 

 in contact with each other. 25 scales round the neck, 34 round 

 the body ; scales feebly imbricate on the anterior part of the body, 

 juxtaposed on the posterior part, feebly keeled. Ventrals very 

 distinct throughout, smooth, 317. Olive above, yellowish beneath; 

 neck with dark cross-bands, which gradually disappear on the body ; 

 head dark oUve, lighter on the crown. 



Total length 810 millim. ; tail 75. 



New Guinea. 



a. S (V. 317). New Guinea. Sir E. Belcher [P.]. (Type.) 



15. Distira pachycercus. 



Hydrophis pachycercos, Fischer, Abh. Naturw. Kamh. iii. 1856, 

 p. 44, pi. ii ; Gunth. Eept. Brit. Ind. p. 378 (1864) ; Jan, Icon. 

 Gen. 39, pi. vi. (1872). 



Head rather small; body stout. Rostral as deep as broad, 

 nasals shorter than the frontal, more than twice as long as the 

 fiuture between the preefrontals ; frontal longer than broad, as long 

 as its distance from the rostral, shorter than the parietals ; one 

 prae- and two postoculars ; two superposed anterior temporals ; 

 eight upper labials, fourth or third and fourth entering the eye, 

 fifth divided, its upper portion forming a subocular ; two pairs of 

 ■chin-shields, in contact with each other. 27 to 29 scales round the 

 neck, 38 or 39 round the body ; scales feebly imbricate on the 

 neck, juxtaposed on the body, with strong keels each formed of two 

 tubercles. Ventrals very distinct, 258-260. Yellowish above, 

 with feebly marked dark cross-bands, white beneath ; upper 

 surface of head and nape brown ; end of tail black. 



Total length 930 millim. ; tail 110. 



Malay Archipelago. 

 a. cj (V. 258). Malay Archipelago. Dr. Bleeker. 



16. Distira lapemidoides. 



Aturia lapemoides, Gray, Cat. p. 46 (1849). 



Hydrophis lapemoides, Gilnth. JRept. Brit. Ind. p. 875 (1864) ; 



Blanf. Journ. As. Soc. Beng. xlviii. 1879, p. 132. 



holdsworthii, Giinth. Ann. 8; Mag. N. H. (4) ix. 1872, p. 83. 



stewartii, Anders. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1872, p. 399 ; Fayrer, 



Thanatoph. Ind. pi. xxiv. (1874) ; Murray, Zool. Sind, p. 390 (1884). 

 dayanus, iStoliczka, Proc. As. Soc. Beng. 1872, p. 89 ; Murray, 



I. c. p. 393. 

 Distira lapemidoides, Bouleng. Faun. Ind., Bepf. p. 412 (1890). 



Head rather small ; body elongate, slender anteriorly, diameter 

 of neck two "fifths to one third the greatest depth. Eostral slightly 

 broader than deep ; nasals shorter than the frontal, more than 

 twice as long as the suture between the prsefrontals ; frontal much 

 longer than broad, as long as or a little shorter than its distance from 

 the end of the snout, shorter than the parietals ; one prse- and two 



