The species of this genus, 18 in number according to the British Museum Catalogue, are found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, from the Persian Gulf to Japan and New Caledonia. The most important are:-- _D. ornata._--Uniform blackish-olive on the back, whitish on the belly. Total length, 1,200 millimetres; tail 130. _ Habitat_: From the Mouth of Persian Gulf, and the coasts of India and Ceylon to New Guinea, and North Australia. _D. subcincta._--Trunk with 41 broad dark cross-bands, about as broad as the interspaces, not extending downwards to the middle of the side; a series of small roundish, blackish spots along the lower part of the sides. Total length, 1,070 millimetres; tail 100. _Habitat_: Indian Ocean. [Illustration: FIG. 81.--SKULL OF _Distira_. (After G. A. Boulenger, _op. cit._)] _D. cyanocincta._--Greenish-olive above, with dark olive or black cross-bars or annuli, broader on the back, and sometimes joined by a black band along the belly, or yellowish, with a black vertebral stripe and a few bars on the neck. Total length, 1,500 millimetres; tail 140. _Habitat_: From the Persian Gulf and the coasts of India to China, Japan, and Papuasia. _D. jerdonii._--Olive above, yellowish on the belly, with black cross-bands forming complete rings in young and half-grown specimens; a black spot sometimes present between each pair of annuli. Total length, 910 millimetres; tail 100. _Habitat_: Bay of Bengal, Straits of Malacca, Borneo. (7) =Enhydris.= Two large poison-fangs, and 2-4 small feebly grooved teeth. Body short and stout; scales hexagonal or squarish, juxtaposed, disappearing almost completely on the belly. _E. curtus._--Above with dark transverse bands, broadest in the middle; end of tail black. Total length, 750 millimetres; tail 75. _Habitat_ Coasts of India and Ceylon. [Illustration: FIG. 82.--_Enhydrina valakadien_ (syn. _E. bengalensis_).] (8) =Enhydrina.= Two large poison-fangs, followed by 4 solid non-grooved teeth. Body moderately elongate; scales imbricate; ventrals distinct but very small. _E. valakadien_ (syn. _E. bengalensis_; fig. 82).--Colour olive or grey, with black transverse bands, usually less distinct in the adult; sides and belly whitish. [Illustration: FIG. 83.--SKULL OF _Platurus olubrinus_. (After G. A. Boulenger, _op. cit._)] Total length, 1,300 millimetres; tail 190. _Habitat_: From the Persian Gulf along the coasts of India and Burma, to the Malay Archipelago and Papuasia. (9) =Aipysurus.= Maxillaries a little longer than the ectopterygoids; poison-fangs moderate, followed, after a short interval, by 8-10 grooved teeth; anterior mandibular teeth feebly grooved. Snout short; head shields large, or broken up into scales. Body moderate; scales imbricate; ventrals large, keeled in the middle. _A. australis._--Brown, or cream-colour, with brown spots forming more or less distinct cross-bars. Total length, 930 millimetres; tail 110. _Habitat_: Coasts of New Guinea and Australia.