FASCICULI MALATENSES 
67 
nine to twelve upper labials, chin-shields usually broken up into scales. Scales 
extremely small, ninety to one hundred round the middle of the body, juxta- 
posed, dorsals with a more or less distinct central tubercle or short keel. 
Ventrals, 350-370 mm., very feebly enlarged. Pale greyish olive above, white 
below ; back with dark cross-bars, narrower than the interspaces, tapering to a 
point on the sides. 
Total length, 600 mm. ; Tail, 80 mm ; Greatest depth of body, 43 mm. 
Several specimens from Patani. 
This is a very remarkable sea snake, distinguished from all other 
Hydrophinae by its extremely small scales. As the nasal shields are distinct 
from the internasals, it is better placed in Fhalassophis than in Distira^ if, 
however, the former deserves to rank as a valid genus. 
73. Hydrophis caerulescens, Shaw 
Patani. 
74. Distira wrayi, Blgr. 
Patani. 
75. Distira jerdonii, Gray 
Patani. 
76. Enhydris hardwickii, Gray 
Patani. 
77. Enhydris valakadien, Boie. 
Patani. 
‘ This appears to be by far the commonest species in Patani Bay, in the 
shallow and muddy waters of which sea snakes literally swarm, while they 
appear to be very little less common in the open sea on the other side of 
Cape Patani. A very large proportion of the fish on which they feed in the 
bay are Silurids and others provided with long, sharp spines, and the manner 
in which these spines are eliminated from the snakes’ bodies is curious, for 
they appear to pass out through the walls of the alimentary canal and through 
the body wall to the exterior. I have frequently found specimens of the 
Hydrophinae with fish spines actually protruding from within through 
the integument, without, apparently, causing any inflammation or incon- 
venience. Sea snakes cannot hiss, but produce a low gurgling sound 
when annoyed. During the fishing season at Patani, in the spring 
and summer months, they are comparatively harmless, being inoffensive 
except when injured, and never, it is said, biting men wading in the sea 
with their nets ; but during the north-east monsoon, in November, December, 
