192 



MAJOR F. WALL, I.M.S., C.M.Z.S. 



Enhydrinabengalensis,G>a% Cat., 1849, P- 4-8- 



,, Giinther , Rept. Brit. Ind., 1864, p. 381. 



Fayrer, Thanat. Ind., 1874, pi. xviii. 

 ,, Nicholson, Ind. Snakes, 1893, p. 118, pi. x, fig. 6. 



valakadyen, Gray, Cat., 1849, P- 4-8- 



Boulgr. in Blanford, Fauna Ind. Rept. and Batrach. 1890, 



p. 406 and fig. ; and Cat., iii, 1896, p. 302. 

 Sclater, List Snakes Ind. Mus., 1891, p. 64. 

 ,, Wall and Evans in Journ. Bomb. Nat. Hist. Soc, xiii, pp. 



347 and 616. 

 ,, Wall in Journ. Bomb. Nat. Hist. Soc, xvi, p. 311, and in 



Spot. Zeylan., Augt. 1907, p. 172. 



A B 



Fig. 9. — Enhydrina valakadyn (nat. size). 



The type-specimen, which had previously been lost sight of, I discovered in the 

 Royal College of Surgeons' Museum, London. It is No. 523 of their catalogue (1859, 

 p. 78), and is the original specimen from Tranquebar figured by Russell in his second 

 volume, plate xi. It was one of Russell's collection which was presented to the 

 above Institution by the East India Company, most of which has since been trans- 

 ferred to the British Museum. 



I do not concur with Boulenger in thinking plate x. of Russell's same volume 

 a distinct species. I think there can be no doubt that this figure represents the same 

 species as plate xi, viz. valakadyn (Boie), a view I may state taken by many 

 other herpetologists. If this assumption is correct, and I cannot think otherwise, this 

 species should rest under the title given it by Daudin in 1803, viz., schistosa, 

 and Boie's valakadyn should be suppressed. I have examined a very large series 

 of this species. In Cannanore on the Malabar Coast of India the fishermen brought 

 them to me in bucketfuls, and I have frequently seen a dozen or more in a net at one 

 haul on the Coromandel Coast (Gopalpore). It is a very easy snake to identify. 

 The downward projection of the rostral and the groove in the symphysis menti are to 

 be seen in no other sea snake. 



Description. — Rostral, — touches four shields ; the portion visible above is one- 

 third or less than one-third the internasal suture. Praef rontals, — touch the 

 second supralabial (except in rare examples where they fail to touch any). 



