56s FISHING HYDRUS. 



trunk four inches and a half : head somewhat 

 broader than the neck, yet appearing small in pro- 

 portion to the trunk : rather convex above, com- 

 pressed on the sides, and projecting into a short 

 obtuse or subtruncated snout, which is covered 

 with smallish laminas of various sizes : the remain- 

 der of the head, as well as of the whole upper 

 parts, with ovate or suborbicular carinated scales, 

 smallest on the head : eyes small and vertical : 

 mouth not large : teeth close set, not regular, 

 small, and reflex; a marginal and two palatal 

 rows in the upper jaw. Colour of the scaly part 

 of the snout pale cinereous ; the rest of the animal 

 very deep grey or ash-colour : abdomen tinged 

 with yellow : tail a little compressed, eight inches 

 in length, moderately tapering, and terminating 

 in an obtuse point. Sent to Dr. Russel from 

 Ganjam in July 1788 : the particulars of its his- 

 tory unknown : placed in this genus by Schneider 

 from its habit and alliance with the preceding. 



FISHING HYDRUS. 



Hydrus Piscatoi^. H. fusco-Jia'vescens, maculis rotundatis nigris 



lineisque connectentibus. 

 Brownish-yellow Hydrus, with rounded black spots joined by 



connecting lines. 

 Hydrus Piscator. Schneid. Amph. p. 247- 

 Neeli Koea. Russ, Ind. Serp. p. 38. pL 33. 



Length about two feet nine inches : circum- 

 ference three inches and a half: head rather 



