THE SNAKES 323 



from the eye to the angle of the mouth and another 

 from the eye downward; also a dark blotch on each 

 temple. The abdomen is yellowish with numerous dark 

 spots irregularly scattered. 



With this viper the scales are strongly keeled; the 

 head is covered with small keeled scales. Under the 

 tail the plates are in a double row. The body is fairly 

 stout with an abruptly-tapering tail; the head is very 

 distinct. Following are the dimensions of a fair-sized 

 adult specimen: — 



Total length 4 ft., 1 inch. 



Length of tail 7 inches. 



Girth 6 inches. 



Width of head 2 inches. 



Length of head 2 inches. 



The range of this snake, the largest of the Asiatic 

 vipers, embraces India, Ceylon, Burma, Siam and the 

 Malay Peninsula. My friend, Mr. Rudolf Weber, 

 brought several small specimens of typical coloration 

 from Sumatra, showing the species to occur on at least 

 one of the larger islands. When annoyed the Tic Po- 

 longa — the name meaning the spotted snake — hisses 

 sharply and steadily with each intake and exhalation 

 of the breath, the body rising and falling like a bellows 

 during the performance. 



Besides the Tic Polonga there is but one other member 

 of the Viperince in British India, and this is a species 

 ranging eastward from the sandy regions of northern 

 Africa, Arabia and Persia. It is brownish gray with 

 three longitudinal series of whitish, black-edged spots. 

 The maximum length is about twenty inches. Tech- 

 nically it is known as Echis carinata. It is common in 

 many parts of the Indian peninsula. The bite seldom 

 proves fatal. 



