570 MARSH HYDRUS. 



nishing in a gradual manner: head broadish, 

 oblong, covered with large scales : tail round, 

 about five inches and a half long, and very taper : 

 colour of the animal on the upper parts yel- 

 lowish brown, beset Avith oblique rows of rhom- 

 boid brown spots with black borders, and between 

 each range of spots runs a ferruginous line : the 

 whole forming a decussated pattern of spots and 

 lines : scales oblong and carinated : tail plain or 

 unspotted : abdomen pearl-coloured. This spe- 

 cies, according to Dr. Russel, is not uncommon 

 in India, frequenting damp grounds, and the bor- 

 ders of tanks, and growing to a size much larger 

 than that of the specimen above described : it is 

 not a poisonous species : in reality it is not very 

 properly stationed in the present genus, having 

 neither flattened tail, nor carinated abdomen. 



