78 Contribution towards the knowledge of snakes in Brazil 
name of Bothrops megaera, cannot be attributed to this author, 
due to the mistakes which he made, guided by merely a few 
variations in colouring im the very umcomplete description of his 
four Brazilian species of Bothrops. 
The priority is therefore given to MAXIMILIAN, PRINCE of 
WiIED, who in 1825 (22) among others gave the name of Cophias 
jararaca (23) to a specimen, the plate reproduction of which although 
entitled «Cophias atroz MERR. pullus » corresponds perfectly to the 
«Jararaca» and the characteristics of which, as given in his 
text, coincide im general with those which I verified in the 
several specimens which TI studied. 
In this case, now I shall pass on to the identification of 
our «Jararaca» with Lachesis jararaca (WIED.). 
* 
xo x 
In reference to the identification of the «Caiçaca» with the 
Lachesis atror (L.) (24) the problem appears to me to be insoluble 
for the present, even because recently, in accordânce with a 
study made by L. G. ANDERSSON (2), who verified that the keel 
of the scales of L. atrox was low and long instead of high, as 
described by LINNAEUS, J. B. PROoCTER, in her already cited 
monograph identified with Bothrops (Lachesis) affinis GRAY (28) the 
specimens up to then described under the name of L. atroz, 
but the scales of which had high and short keel, 
This charaeteristic, however, as stated by MIss PROCTER herself, 
is not fixed and this is in acordance with observations made 
by me in 228 specimens of this species from the States of São 
Paulo, Minas, Goiás, Mato-Grosso, Baia, and Pará and also from 
Surinam, Dutch Guiana. Of these 228 specimens, 202 were received 
by the Butantan Institute between July Ist. 1920 and June 30th, 1921, 
for the extraction of poison; 10 belong to the snake collection 
of the same Institute; 3 belong to the « Museu Paulista» collection; 
4 to the Butantan's Anti-ophidic Post in Baia; and 9 are from 
Cametá, State of Pará from where they were recently sent me 
by Me. FRANCISCO LOPES MARTINS, farmer in that district. 
Although a great many of these specimens have scales with 
high and short keel, a great many, however, have long and 
low keel. 
Therefore, in the absence of a fixed characteristic on which 
I might base a change of opinion in this respect, I shall continue 
to identify the Brazilian, «Caiçaca» with the Lachesis atrox (U.). 
(2) 
1825; p. 470, 
(3) “Jararakka” otherwise. 
(4) Linnaeus — Museum Adolphi Friderici r.. Serpentes. 1754; vol. I; p. 33; tab. 22; fig. 2. 
(2) Tass GaprigL AnDERSSON — “Catalogue of Linnean Type — specimens of Snakes in the Royal 
dm of Stockolm” in Bihang till Kongl. Svenska Vetenskaps-Academiens Handlingar. 1899; v. 24; 
; po PALA 6 0 
(%6) J. E. Gray — “Catalogue of Reptiles''. P. III; Snakes. 1849; p. 7. 
MAXIMILIAN, PriNZEN Zu WigD — “Beitrage zur Naturgeschichte von Brasilien". Weimar. 
