228 MAJOR P. WALL, I.M.S., O.M.Z.S. 



the separation of the two, especially as specimens of fasciata (Schneider) are to be 

 found with the costals imbricate, though normally juxtaposed in that species. I note, 

 too, in reference to a specimen labelled cyanocincta in the British Museum, viz., the 

 one presented by Bort Phillips from Bushire, " scales almost juxtaposed." As there is 

 in that Institution a series of nine specimens labelled lapemoides in which the posterior 

 costals are very definitely juxtaposed, I think it wiser to adhere to Mr. Boulenger's 

 opinion, though I think it probable these may, at a later date, be relegated to the 

 rank of a variety only of cyanocincta. I have examined in all only nine examples. 



Description. — Rostral, — the portion visible above from half to three-fifths the 

 internasal suture. Praef ron tals, — touch the second supralabial (two exceptions 

 in which they touch none). Postocuiars, — two or three (one on one side in one 

 example). Temporals, — broken up and replaced by small scales, two or three of 

 which are superposed anteriorly. (One large shield occurs on one specimen on one 

 side). Supra labials, — seven or eight subject to much variation, the third and 

 subsequent shields sometimes divided. In Jerdon's specimen from Madras in the 

 British Museum the third and succeeding shields are all divided, and according to 

 some authorities', therefore, none touch the eye. In Layard's specimen the fourth is 

 divided on the left side , and the same arrangement only reversed on the two sides 

 is seen in the type. In one of Holdsworth's examples the third is divided, and the 

 fourth entire. Inf ralabi als, — four, the last in contact with three or four scales 

 behind ; the suture between the first usually less than that between the anterior 

 sublinguals. Marginals, — a complete row succeeds the second or third infralabial. 

 Sublinguals, — two well-developed pairs, the fellows of the posterior pair separated 

 (in at least two examples they just touch). Costals, — anterior 31 to 37, midbody 

 40 to 49, posterior 37 to 51, juxtaposed posteriorly. Ventrals, — 300 to 387, all 

 entire or a few divided posteriorly, twice or less than twice the breadth of the last 

 costal row. Colour, — very variable. Some specimens are completely banded, in 

 others the bands are obsolete ventrally, and converted into dorsal bars. In one of Holds- 

 worth's examples from Ceylon, there are vertebral spots between the bars constituting 

 a variety analogous to the forma tvpica of spiralis. In Blanford's specimen from 

 Gwadar the annuli are complete, and about as broad as the intervals at midcosta. 

 In a specimen of Holdsworth's from Ceylon, the bands are complete, and only about 

 one quarter the breadth of the intervals at midcosta. The analogy of these varieties 

 with varieties of spiralis and cyanocincta is very striking. 



Habitat. — -Shores between the Persian Gulf and Puri on the Coromandel Coast 

 of India. 



Distira bituberculata (Peters). 



Hydrophis bituberculata, Peters in Mon. Berl Acad., 1872, p. 855, pi. ii, fig. 2. 

 Distira bituberculata, Boitlgr. in Blanford Fauna Brit. Ind. Rept. and Batrach. , 



1890, p. 411, and Cat., 1896, iii, p. 296. 



