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



? Hydrophis latifasciatus, Giinther, loc. cit., p. 372, pi. xxv, fig. T. 



„ ,, Blanford in Joum. As. Soc. Bengal, 1879, p. 132. 



,, „ Bonlgr. in Blanford, Fauna Brit. hid. Rept. and B attach. 



1890, p. 401. 

 „ ,, Boulgr. Cat., 1896, iii, p. 279, and pi. xiii. 



„ ,, Sclater, loc. cit., 1891. p. 63. 



,, ,, Wall, loc. cit., 1906, p. 281. 



(For figure 13 see plate vii.) 



ARC 

 Fig. 14. — Distira obscnra, x 5, 



Mr. Boulenger is without doubt in error in his consideration of this species. 1 

 Daudin's obscurus is based upon two specimens figured by Russell, : the originals of 

 which are in the British Museum. Daudin gave to one (plate vii) the name obscurus, 

 and to the other (plate viii) the title c/iloris. Both these snakes being now recognised 

 by Mr. Boulenger as identical, an opinion with which I am in accord, they are united 

 under the former title, i.e., obscura. Under obscnra , however, Mr. Boulenger describes 

 a totally different snake, which is obviously the tor quota of Giinther ! One point 

 alone will suffice here in support of this statement, viz., the neck scales in obscura as 

 described by Mr Boulenger are from 33 to 40, whereas in Russell's type-specimens 

 just alluded to they are 21! This snake the true obscnra of Daudin he describes 

 under the name H. coronata (Giinther). 1 



The following description is based upon 15 examples including those labelled 

 coronata and latijasciata in the British Museum, which there is no doubt are the same. 

 Two of these are Russell's types, six are in the Indian Museum (five of these from 

 the Gangetic Delta), two are specimens of mine from Burma, and two others in the 

 Bombay Natural History Society's collection from Karwar on the coast near Bombay. 



H. latijasciata (Giinther) The descriptions of this, and coronata (Giinther) given 

 in Mr. Boulenger' s catalogue are almost identical. The only differences are that in 

 coronata the temporal is stated to descend to the labial border whereas this is not 

 specified in latijasciata. The post-chin shields are in contact in coronata, separated 

 in latijasciata. I find on examining these specimens that the temporal descends to 

 the labial border on the right side in the type-specimen of latijasciata, a species only 

 known from a solitary specimen ; and in two specimens of coronata in other collections, 



1- Cat., vol. iii, p. 284. 



2 Ind. Serp., vol. ii, 1801, plates vii and viii. 



3 hoc. cit., p. 279. 



