224 VIPERID.E 



brown or black spots extend along the sides, the upper 

 series, if present, occupying the space between the 

 series of spots continued from the postocular band 

 and the large dorsal spots or vertebral band, the 

 lowermost following the outer row of scales. Small 

 dark spots and one or two A-shaped markings are 

 present on the upper surface of the head ; an oblique 

 dark band proceeds from the eye to the angle of the 

 mouth, and is not infrequently confluent with the 

 branches of the occipital A. The rostral and the 

 labial shields are uniform yellowish-white, rarely 

 with a few small, blackish spots or with brown 

 borders. The chin and throat are yellowish-white, 

 rarely with some blackish spots. The ventral and 

 subcaudal shields are black, with transverse series of 

 small white spots, or grey checkered with black and 

 white, or whitish with small round black spots ; the 

 tail is but rarely (females) tipped with yellow. 



The form recently described as V. macrops, Mehely, 

 from Bosnia and Herzegovina, is distinguished by a 

 usually larger eye, the vertical diameter of which 

 equals or a little exceeds its distance from the mouth, 

 and the parietals are often broken up into small 

 shields. The postocular dark band is often reduced, 

 originating at some distance from the eye, and is not 

 prolonged beyond the mouth. In this geographical 

 race melanic specimens occasionally occur, which are 

 dark brown or blackish above, the lower parts not 

 differing from those of the typical form. 



