Page:The poisonous snakes of India. For the use of the officials and others residing in the Indian Empire (IA poisonoussnakeso01ewar).pdf/103

 HYDROPHIS NIGRA (N.S.), ANDERSON.

"Neck but moderately slender, less than two-thirds the length of the body. IIcad broader than neck, long, with nearly straight sides, the præ-orbital equalling the temporal breadth. Snout moderately long, broad, rounded, and rather spatulate. Rostral much broader than high, its posterior extremity being on a line with the rostro-labial suture; feebly notched on its inferior margin. Nasals broader posteriorly than they are long. The third labial not in contact with the nasal, and it is almost excluded from the orbit by the fourth labial and præ-ocular. One post-ocular. The fifth and sixth labials transversely divided. Two temporals, of which the anterior is the larger. Two pairs of chin-shields, the anterior in contact, the shields of the posterior pair separated by an azygos scale. Thirty-two rows of scales round the body, slightly imbricate and smooth. Ventrals, forty-eight; the first twenty-five or so six times as large as the adjoining scales, which are rather small; the remainder diminish in size, but nearly all are distinct and undivided. Three pairs of anal-shields, of which the outer are the largest.

"Uniform intense black, without any trace of markings. Length, 19", of which the tail is 2". Length of snout to occiput, O" 7". Breadth across the angle of the mouth, O" 4". Breadth before the eyes, 0" 4". Breadth on a line with nasal suture, 0' 3''. Snout to eye, O" 3". Eye to angle of mouth, two and a half lines. Angle of jaw to tip of snout, 0" 8". Locality-Pooree, Cuttack."

Hydrophis Nigrocincta.

"Head small; neck slender, its length being about one-fourth of the total, body moderately elongate. Rostral shield rather broader than long; only the fourth upper labial forms the lower part of the orbit;