124 



DABOIA, Gray. 



Nostril large, between 3 shields ; head completely scaled. 

 Body scales 29-31, much imbricate, strongly keeled. 



D. ELEGANS, (russellii), Gray. The Chain-viper.^' Plate 

 XX. 



Ventrals 163-170, subc. 45-60. Grey, with 3 series of large 

 black white-edged ring-spots, the vertebral series often 

 irregular and confluent. In young specimens the spots 

 have a beautiful velvety lustre. A yellow s» converges 

 towards the snout. Belly spotted with brown. Grows to 

 5 feet long, tail one-sixth. 



South of India and Burma. The Indian Daboia is of 

 more brilliant coloration than the Burmese variety. More 

 common on the coasts than inland or above the ghats. 



ECHIS, Merrem. 



Head scaled ; a pair of very small frontals ; nostril small 

 in a single shield. Scales 25-29, strongly keeled, much 

 imbricate. The lateral rows of scales, except the outermost 

 two, point downwards and the keel on them consists of a 

 line of dots. Subcaudals single. 



E. CARINATA, Schneider. 



Ventrals 149-154, subc. 21-26. Grey to light brown, with 

 a vertebral series of white, brown-edged spots, below each 

 of which is a semi-circular white streak enclosing a brown 

 spot. The pattern is often less marked, consisting of a 

 chain of light arches on each side, connected in the median 

 line by a light spot. Broad brown >■ head-mark ; belly 

 white, spotted. 1-lJ foot, tail one-twelfth. 

 Not common, but widely spread. 



* For Indian synonyms, see Part III. 



