62 
Zoological Miscellany, 
hinder 'pair low^ broad : no chin shields. Nasal plates elongate^ trigonal^ nar- 
row in front : rostral plates smalf two-notched : the upper temporal plates 
much larger than the lower one. 
1. Hydrophis hengalensis. One anterior and 2 posterior ocular shields : 
the front upper lip-shield very long, strap-like, extending the whole length 
of the outer side of the nasal plate ; head moderate, short. 
Inhabits Bengal. Brit. Mus. 
2. Hydrophis subfasciata, Gray. With 1 anterior and 1 posterior ocular 
shield : the front upper labial shields moderate, subtrigonal, reaching half 
way up the outer edge of the nasal plates ; the front lower labial plates with 
small scales like shields beneath them. Var. smaller : the frontal shield on 
side is bent down, occupying the place of (perhaps united to) the anterior 
ocular shield, but on one side there is a very small shield at the upper an- 
gle of the front of the eye. 
Inhabits Bengal. Brit. Mus. 
b. Throat with distinct six-sided shields : the front upper lip-shield short, 
second large, the third, fourth and fifth gradually smaller, under the eye : 
front lower lip shield elongated, rest short, smaller, with 2 or 3 pairs of large 
shields under them : chin shields 2 pair. 
* The fourth and fifth upper lip shield under the eye. 
3. Hydrophis suhlcevis. Pale yellowish white in spirits, beneath whiter; 
scales of neck smooth, of back with a thin keel; lower scales almost keel- 
less ; 1 anterior and 2 posterior ocular shields : the second upper labial 
shield elongated : the central temporal shield largest. 
Inhabits Indian Ocean. Brit. Mus. 
** The fourth, fifth and end of the third upper labial shield under the eye. 
4. Hydrophis doliata. Disteria Doliata, Lacep. ? Gray, App. King’s 
Voy. Greyish white, with darker bands; throat and streak on the front of 
belly black : scales of body distinctly keeled ; of tail broad and smooth : 
the second and third upper labial shields nearly equal : 1 large anterior and 
2 small posterior oculars. 
*** The fourth and end of the third upper labial shield under the eyes, the 
second shield rather larger than the first and third. 
5. Hydrophis mentalis. Gray. Pale whitish, in spirits, with indistinct, 
broad, dark cross bands on the back ; head rather large : scales tubercular- 
ly keeled ; the lower rostral plate slender, trigonal : the first and third lower 
lip-shield elongate, the rest with 2 pair of large plates below them : chin- 
shields moderate : 1 anterior and 2 posterior oculars. 
Inhabits Indian Ocean. Brit. Mus. 
6. Hydrophis ccerulescens. Hydrus ccerulescens,^h2iyv,7!AOo\. bQ\. Above 
blackish ash, in spirits, beneath whitish; side of the neck and base of the 
tail with white bands, of the body with roundish white spots ; tail blackish 
ash : scales tubercularly keeled : lower rostral shield trigonal, subequilate- 
ral ; the first, second and third lower labial shields large, rest small, with a 
pair of large plates between the two front ones ; eyes small ; 1 anterior and 
1 posterior ocular ; temporal shields 3 or 4, moderate. 
Inhabits India. Brit. Mus. ; the specimen described by Dr. Shaw. 
