DABOIA. 395 



with small black markings as described. All these variations may be seen in foetus taken 

 out of the same female. 



The "Carawala," or "Carawilla" as some write it, is not only found in Ceylon, but 

 also in the peninsula of Southern India, specimens having been obtained in Malabar and in 

 the Anamallay Mountains by Captain R. H. Beddome; they do not differ from those of 

 Ceylon. Dumeril mentions a specimen, in the Paris Museum, from the Philippine Islands ; 

 but this, of course, is as incorrect as the statement of Uropeltidce occurring in those islands. 

 The largest specimen I have seen is 19 inches long, the tail measuring 2^ inches. It is, like 

 the other snakes of this family, a viviparous species: in one female I have found five per- 

 fectly developed foetus, 5 inches long ; in another, seven eggs which did not show any develop- 

 ment of the embryo. The Carawala is much dreaded, although its bite is but exceptionally 

 fatal to man, and in such cases death does not occur before the lapse of some days. There is 

 always every hope of restoring the patient by a timely application of the proper remedies. 



FAMILY OF YlFERS—riPERID^. 



Body robust ; tail rather short, not prehensile ; head broad or thick, gene- 

 rally scaly above, or incompletely shielded ; no pit in the loreal region ; eye 

 of moderate size, with vertical pupil. Viviparous. 



The Vipers inhabit the Old World and Australia, and are thoroughly terrestrial snakes. 

 Africa produces the largest species and the greatest variety of forms. Only two are known 

 from British India: — 



Nostril very large Daboia, p. 395. 



Subcaudals simple Echis, p. 396. 



DABOIA, Grmj. 



Head covered with scales ; nostril lateral, oblique, extremely large, in and 

 between three nasal shields ; a narrow supraciliary shield. Sides of the 

 head covered with keeled scales, several series of which are between the 

 orbit and the low upper labials. Scales much imbricate, strongly keeled, in 

 twenty-nine or thirty-one series. Subcaudals two-rowed. 



Only one species is known. 



3e2 



