92 
AUSTRALIAN SNAKES. 
EMYDOCEPHALUS, Krefft. 
Emydocephalus, Krefft , Proc. Zool. Soc 1869. 
Anterior half of the trunk rounded, posterior part compressed, 
ventral plates well developed; head shielded, gape of mouth short, three 
upper and three lower labials, the middle one largest, covering nearly the 
whole upper and lower lip; (scales large and much imbricated, in 16 rows). 
Occipitals not much larger than the superciliaries, very irregular, with 
sometimes a plate between them, and much broader than long. Tail much 
compressed, ending in a large flat scale with two or three denticulations, 
and a strong keel on each side. 
Scales in 16 or 17 rows, hexagonal, much imbricated, and covered 
with from 5 to 10 or more tubercles, ventral plates much tuberculated, in 
particular those near the tail. 
Tortoise-headed Ringed Sea Snake. Emydocephalus annulatus. 
Emydocephalus annulatus, Krefft, Proc. Zool. Soc., 1869. 
Scales in 16 or 17 rows. 
Abdominals, 144. 
One anal plate. 
Subcaudals, 36 (ending in a broad spine). 
Total length, 30 inches. 
Head, f inch. 
Tail, 4-i- inches. 
Scales large and imbricated; head small, about as long as broad, 
covered with rounded plates, which are more or less raised in the middle, 
and much tuberculated; one or two elongate shields wedged in between 
the superciliaries; the number of upper and lower labials reduced to three, 
a middle one of extraordinary size between two small scale-like shields; 
each scale and plate covered with many small tubercles, and the body 
encircled by thirty-five black and as many white rings; the white scales 
upon the hack and sides more or less black, and some of the black rings 
white spotted. 
Habitat, probably the Australian Seas. Two specimens in the 
Museum collection. 
