The Raman spectra of NiCI, -6H,O, NiBr, -6H,O and FeCI, . 4H,O single crystals were measured in the range 50-3600 cm-' at liquid nitrogen temperature. A new assignment of the lattice water translations in the two hexahydrates was made and the metal-halogen stretching mode was identified. A comparison with recent IR data provided a good characterization of the water libration region. Some proposals for discriminating between the lattice water modes and the coordinated water modes are given for the water internal modes (bending and stretching).