1870.] Indian and Malayan Amphibia and Eeptilia. 207 



shields which represent the true labials ; all the upper as well as the 

 lower labials, and all the shields of the head are finely granular. In 

 a specimen from the Nancowry haven (Nicobars) there are ten upper 

 labials, the last two corresponding to only one upper portion. This 

 specimen is uniform dark greenish above, on the last three series of 

 scales on either side conspicuously yellowish ; ventrals, to a great 

 extent, and the subcaudals wholly black ; the black eye streak is 

 hardly perceptible ; total length 26 inches, of which the tail is 4f 

 inches, ventrals 152, subcaudals 53. 



A specimen from the Andamans measures 32f inches, of which 

 the tail is 6£, being remarkably long ; the dark cross bands above 

 are rather distinct, and the whole of the lower parts is mostly 

 black ; there are 1 1 upper labials, the last four corresponding to 

 only two upper portions; ventrals 149, subcaudals 63. Another 

 specimen is quite similar, but has a row of large blackish spots on 

 each side of the body, and a narrow central black line along the 

 ventrals. 



66. Hipistes hydrinus, Cant. (G- u n t h., 1. cit. p. 287). 



This is a very common species at the mouth of the Moulmein 

 river, especially near Amherst ; it lives almost entirely upon fish, 

 and may be said to be rather a brackish than a salt water inhabi- 

 tant. The largest specimen, I obtained, measured 22£ inches, 

 of which the tail is only 1^ ; ventrals 165, subcaudals 27. I 

 have seen about 50 live specimens and all had the tail remark- 

 ably short, the number of subcaudals varying from 22-35, the 

 terminal scale being always very strong and conically produced ; 

 the number of rows of scales varied from 38 to 42. The supraor- 

 bital is occasionally divided in two ; there are two pairs of chin 

 shields, one behind the other in one row, the two first are large, in 

 contact with 4—5 broad labials, each second is only one-third of 

 the length of one first ; sometimes a third pair of chin shields is 

 indicated. 



Young specimens often have a marked yellowish green tinge ; 

 older ones are above dull greenish grey with 38 — 45 broad bluish 

 black transverse bands, generally a little narrower than the inter- 

 spaces ; the lower parts are pale yellowish and the median portion of 



27 



