XIII 



CROTALINAE 



647 



species in South - Eastern Asia and in Central and South 



America. 



L. (Botlirops s. Craspedocephalus} lanceolatus inhabits nearly 

 the whole of South America, extending into Mexico and the 

 Lower Antilles, e.g. Martinique, Guadaloupe, and Santa Lucia, 

 where it is known as the " Fer-de-Lance," and is the curse of 

 the sugar-plantations on account of its being so very common 

 and so deadly poisonous. The Mongoose was introduced as 

 a possible antagonist, but the little Indian Mammal wisely left 

 the dangerous reptile alone, and has in some places established 

 himself as another pest as a destroyer of poultry. The Fer-de- 



Track ea 



FIG 179 Head of Lachesis lanceolatus after removal of the skin, x 1. D, Duct, bent 

 upon itself, from the poison-gland into the tooth ; Dig, digastric muscle or opener 

 of the iaw; X, nostril; P.G, poison-gland; S.Gr, sensory groove or pit ; S.Q, 

 point of junction of the squamosal and quadrate ; T.a, Temp.a, anterior, and T.p, 

 posterior, temporal muscle. 



Lance grows to a length of 6 feet, establishes itself everywhere 

 in swamps, plantations, forests, in the plains and in the hills 

 and is very prolific, producing, according to its size, dozens of 

 young which are 10 inches long, very active and snappy. 



L. (TrimeresuTus) gramineus s. viridis, to mention one 

 Asiatic species, grows to less than 3 feet in length, is bright 

 green above, sometimes with faint blackish bars ; green, yellow, 

 or whitish below, and with a light streak along the outer row of 

 scales. The end of the tail is usually bright red. This beautiful 

 snake has a prehensile tail and is arboreal. Its range extends 

 over the whole of India, to Hong-Kong and to Timor, and even 

 into the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. 



Sistrurvs. With a rattle. The upper surface of the head 

 is covered with nine large shields. A few species in North 

 America east of the Kocky Mountains, e.g. S. miliarius. 



