hydrophidæ

pl. [Mod. Lat. hydroph ( is ) (q.v.); Lat. fem. pl. adj. suff. -idæ.] Zool .: Sea snakes, water snakes; a family of Colubrine snakes having the tail short and compre ed, so that it can be used as an oar. The nostrils are close together on the upper part of the snout, and have valves which may be closed over them when the animal is under water. The Hydrophide in. islands. They swim with rapidity, and are very habit the Indian seas and the Pacific Ocean near venomous. hydro-phil-ě-æ, s . pl . [Pref. hydro- (1), and Gr. philos beloved, dear to.] Bot .: The name given by Delpino to plants fecundated by the aid of the water in which they grow. hydro-phil-1-dæ, s. pl. [Modern Latin hydro phil ( us ); Lat. fem. pl. adj. suff. -idæ .] Entom.: Water-beetles; a family of Pentamerous beetles belonging to Latreille's tribe Palpicornes. Antennæ generally nine, rarely six-jointed, perfoliate elevate, the club distinctly cleft, the body oval or somewhat rounded, sometimes almost globose, the tibie slightly spinose, the posterior tarsi oссаsionally ciliated. They are more truly aquatic than the allied Helophoride (q. v.). The typical species swim by means of their paddle-like tarsi. feed in all their stages of life, but not so voraciously as the Hydradephaga, on aquatic mollusca and in IMG:content-1382.png:[blocks in formation]