306 



COLTJBKID^. 



Aipysurus australis, Saumge, Bull. Soc. Philom. (7) i. 1877, p. 114. 

 Pelagophis lubiicus, Peters ^ Doria, Ann. Mus. Geneva, xiii. 1878, 

 p. 414. 



Head-shields broken up into small irregular scales with numerous 

 small granular tubercles ; eye rather small, surrounded by 8 or 9 

 small shields ; rostral a little broader than deep ; eight or nine 

 upper labials, fifth sometimes entering the eye ; chin-shields small, 

 indistinct. Scales smooth or obtusely keeled, in 19 rows. Ventralsi 

 156-166. Brown, or cream-colour with brown spots on the scales 

 forming more or less distinct cross-bars. 



Total length 930 millim. ; tail 110. 



Coasts of New Guinea and Australia. 



a. ^ (V. 165). Australia. Capt. Stokes [P.], 



i. 



c. 



i. d (V. 156). Australia. G. Krefi=t, Esq. fP.]. 



d (V. 166). Australia. Mr. Barrow [P.]. 



213. PLATURUS. 



Laticauda, Lmir. Si/n. Rept. p. 109 (1768). 



Hydrus, part., Schieid. Hist. Amph. i. p. 233 (1799). 



Platurus, Bmid. Rept. vii. p. 223 (1803) ; Wagl. Syst. Amph. p. 166 



(1830) ; I>um. if Bibi: Erp. Gen. vii. p. 1318 (1854) ; Fischer, 



Ahh. Naturw. Hamb. iii. 1856, p. 27; Jan, Blenco sist. Ofid. 



p. 108 (1863); Gimth. Rept. Brit. Ind. p. 365 (1864) ; Boukng. 



Faun. Ind., Rept. p. 394 (1890). 

 Hydrophis, part., Schleg. Phys. Serp. ii. p. 488 (1837). 



Maxillary much shorter than the ectopterygoid, extending 

 forwards beyond the palatine, with two large poison-fangs ; 

 one or two small solid teeth near the posterior extremity of the 

 maxillary. Head-shields large ; nostrils lateral, the nasals separated 

 by internasals ; praeocular present ; no loreal. Body much 

 elongate; scales smooth and imbricate; veutrals and subcaudals 

 large. 



Eastern parts of the Indian Ocean and West Pacific. 



Synopsis of the Species. 



I. No ventral keel ; ventrals 195-240. 

 No azygous shield on the snout ; scales 



in 19 rows 1. laficaudatus, p. 307. 



An azygous shield between the prse- 



frontals ; scales in 21-25 rows .... 2. colubrinus, p. 3(J$. 



II. A keel along the posterior half of the belly. 



An azygous shield between the prse- 



frontals ; scales in 21-23 rows; 



ventrals 178-198 3. schistorhynchus, p. 309. 



No azygous shield on the snout ; scales 



in 19 rows ; ventrals 229 4. muelleri, p. 309. 



