1847.] Malayan Peninsula a)td Islands. 1051 



The latter, six in number, present nothing abnormal. The lower 

 labials are also six, proportionally larger than in the preceding. The 

 mouth is smaller. The make of the trunk is more robust ; the neck is 

 covered by 15, the thickest part of the body by 21 longitudinal scries 

 of proportionally much broader hexagonal scales, tuberculated on the 

 anterior part of the trunk, on the rest keeled, forming series of sharp, 

 continued ridges. The central abdominal series is at first somewhat 

 larger than the rest, angular, with a small more or less distinct tubercle 

 on each side. A single individual, captured in a fishing stake off 

 Pinang, was of the following dimensions : — 



Length of the head, ft. Of inch. 



Ditto ditto trunk, 1 6f 



Ditto ditto tail, 2£ 



1 ft. 9f inch. 

 Circumference of the neck, If, greatest do. of the trunk, 2\ inch. 



Hydrus gracilis, Shaw. 



Syn.*— Russell, I, PI. 44, Tatta Pam, 1796, (very young.) 



Hydrus fasciatus, apud Shaw (Russell, I, 44, excluding the other Syn.) 

 1802. 

 Angvis mamillaris, Daudin, 1803. 

 Hydrus, apud Wagler, 1830. 

 Russell, II, PI. 7, Shootur Sun, 1801. 

 Hydrus cloris, Daudin, 1803. 

 Hydrophis, apud Wagler, 1830. 

 Russell, II, PL 8, Kalla Shootur Sun, 1801. 

 Hydrophis obscurus, Daudin, 1803. 

 Hydrophis, apud Wagler, 1830. 



Hydrus fasciatus, apud Guerin : Iconog. Rept. PL 25, 1, 1829. 

 Pelamis chloris, Merrem apud Horsficld : Life of Raffles, 1830. 

 Microcephalia gracilis, Lesson, 1833. 

 Hydrophis gracilis, Schlegel (Syn. Angvis xiphura, Hermann, Typh- 



lops, Merr. Tent. p. 158,) 1837. 

 Hydrophis gracilis, Schlegel, apud Cantor, 1. c. PL 56, (Young.) 



New born. — Head shining intense black ; ground colour of the trunk 

 and tail bright gamboge, on the back and sides interrupted by numer- 

 ous black rings, which above are widened into lozenge shape, narrowed 

 on the sides. Throat and anterior half of abdomen intense black, con- 

 tinued as a more or less distinct line to the black apex of the tail. On 

 the sides the yellow ground colour appears in the shape of oval spots, 



* Doubtful Syn. — Angvis laticauda, Linnc,Mus. A. F. 1754. Vosmaer, Monogr* 

 Fig. 2, 1774, Hydrus fasciatus, Schneider, 1801. 



6 u 



