324 REPTILES OF THE WORLD 



It is in Africa, the headquarters of the true vipers, 

 that we find a variety of forms of the Viperince, some 

 slender-bodied with a prehensile tail and altogether 

 arboreal (Athens), one fair-sized genus of small, 

 colubrine-like forms (Atractaspis), having shields on 

 the head and addicted to a burrowing life, and an im- 

 portant genus, made up of the most hideous -looking of 

 all snakes. The latter is Bitis, containing eight species. 



The cobras have impressed us with a feeling of awe 

 at their activity and viciousness, but there is a certain 

 weird grace in their rearing pose and slender form. 

 The present genus is striking from quite an opposite 

 standpoint. Its members are exceedingly sluggish in 

 their gait, while they exhibit every outline that is for- 

 midable and villainous in a snake; their bodies are so 

 short, thick and bloated as to lack all the grace of the 

 typical serpent ; the tail is abruptly tapering and stubby. 

 Most impressive is the huge, cruel, heart-shaped head, 

 with its staring, cat-like eyes. The fangs are enor- 

 mously developed and it is almost needless to say the 

 bite of such creatures is usually fatal. Absolutely in- 

 congruous to the fiendish configuration and menacing 

 actions is the coloration, which is exquisitely beautiful, 

 suggesting the richest hues and designs of oriental 

 tapestry. 



Most widely distributed and best known, owing to its 

 distribution into South Africa to the Cape, is the Puff 

 Adder, B. arietans. It is found over Africa generally, 

 with the exception of the northern coastal region, and 

 extends into Arabia. The length is up to four and a 

 half feet and a specimen of this size would be nine inches 

 in girth. 



The Puff Adder lives in dry, sub-arid places, hiding 

 in the half -burnt grass during the day or actually bury- 



