TBIMEKESURUS. 



425 



sometimes a white black-edged longitudinal streak on each side of 

 the neck ; belly more or less closely powdered with dark brown. 



Total length 19 inches ; tail 2-5. 



Hah. The " Karawala " is found in Ceylon and in the AVestern 

 Ghats of India as far north as Bombay. Its bite is said to be but 

 exceptionally fatal to man. 



Genus TRIMERESURUS, 

 Lacepede, Ann. dii Mus. iv, 1804, pp. 106, 200 (part.). 



Head covered with scales above. Tail often prehensile, ending 

 in a point ; subcaudal shields in two rows in the Asiatic species. 



Fig. 126.— Head of Trimeresurus monticola. 



Distribution. East Indies, Southern China, and Loo Choo Islands*, 

 Tropical America. About 25 s])ecies are known. 



This genus includes terrestrial and arboreal species, but the t« o 

 divisions are so insensibly blended as to render their distinction 

 almost impossible. 



* T. Jlavoviridis, Hallow. {—T. riukianus, Hilgend.). 



