VIPERA 243 



running straight or zigzag along the spine may 

 connect these cross-bars, and in rare cases it is so 

 broad as to produce a zigzag band similar to that of 

 V. bents. In specimens from South- Western France 

 and the Pyrenees, rarely in some from other parts of 

 France and Italy, there is a broad dark grey or 

 brown vertebral band between two series of black or 

 blackish-brown spots, opposite to each other or 

 alternating ; this band may be straight or wavy, some- 

 times forming a regular zigzag ; there is another 

 series of blackish spots or short bars lower down on 

 the side, alternating with those of the dorsal series. 



The upper surface of the head may be devoid of 

 any markings, or bear merely the two oblique dark 

 streaks forming the branches of a A \ or a dark 

 cross-bar may be present on the snout, followed or 

 not by smaller spots or a pair of oblique streaks on 

 the occiput ; the f\ on the back of the head may 

 be united with the first cross-bar on the nape, and 

 enclose a cordiform figure of the lighter ground 

 colour. A light line sometimes borders the upper 

 edge of the snout and the outer edge of the supra- 

 ocular shield. A blackish band or a mere line 

 extends obliquely from the eye to the first lateral 

 spot ; below this the upper lip is whitish, yellowish, 

 or pinkish, with or without dark vertical bars on the 

 sutures between the labial shields. The iris is 

 golden or coppery red. 



The lower parts vary as much as the upper: 



