4 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XV1I1. 



is remarkably large and open, larger than in any other Indian snake. 

 The tail is relatively short, and unusually apparent, owing to the rapid 

 decrease in girth which occurs about the region of the vent. 



The whole snake is remarkably rough, owing to the pronounced 

 ridges (keels) on its scales. 



Colour. — The ground colour is brown of varying shades, most speci- 

 mens being a sandy, or cocoatina tint. The markings vary much in 

 detail and intensity as well as in hue. Sometimes they are so obscure 

 as to attract little attention, and this is especially so just before desqua- 

 mation. The sloughing process over however, the same snake may 

 reveal a definition of adornment, and brilliancy of colour, which may 

 renovate it as completely as a mess uniform transforms an officer 

 when exchanged for his khaki. The head has a more or less distinct 

 dark patch on each side behind, a dark streak sometimes picked 

 out with white, pink, or buff, behind the eye, and a dark stripe from 

 the eye to the lip. A conspicuous light line, sometimes white, buff, 

 or pink, runs from above the gape, through the temporal region to the 

 supercilium on to the ridge just referred to on the snout. These lines 

 converge, and sometimes meet on the snout to form a V. The lips are 

 white, whitish, or pink variegated with spots, specks, or streaks. 



The dorsal adornment consists of a triple series of large ovate spots, 

 forming a vertebral, and two costal necklaces or chains, hence the 

 term " Chain viper." Davy remarks* : " In some specimens the 

 marks are oval, and in some more pointed, and rather trapezoidal ; 

 in others surrounded by a white margin ; in a fourth lightest in 

 the middle." It is not infrequent to see some of these spots more or 

 less confluent, in fact, it is rarely one sees a perfect rosary. The 

 costal spots are frequently interrupted at their lower margins, and 

 sometimes taper, reminding one of a balloon.f 



Each spot may be of uniform colour throughout, but more often 

 exhibits a light central zone, similar to the ground colour, which 

 merges into a deep Lincoln-green, purple, or black, around which 

 again may be seen a narrow zone of buff or pure white, the latter 



* " An Account of the Interior of Ceylon," p. tf5. 



\ Since writiug this I have seen a specimen sent to this Society by Mr. Kinloch from 

 Kota<nri 15,700 ft.) in the Nilghiris in which the three series of spots are completely confluent 

 into bands. The sinuous outlines of these bands indicate the number of spots, which how- 

 ever are broadly blended, in the entire length of the snake. It is the only one I have seen 

 so marked. 



