48 



THE POISONOUS SNAKES OF INDIA. 



LA.CB:E31S ST£tIGATU'S-Tiio Horse-slioo Vipor. 



Tilentfjicatiim.— This is the only species in which tho 2nd labinl 

 shield is entirely distinct from the 

 loreal pit (x^^ Fig. 27), and this alone 

 will suffice to establish irs identity. 



Supplementary clii ractrrs. — In- 

 ternasals. — No scales are suffici- 

 ently enlarged to deserve the name. 

 Supraoc'itar — A single shield. 



iYasuZ. — Not united to 1st labial 



one or more minute scales are 



intercalated between it and the 



furrow.d shield forming the inner 



wall of the loreal pit. Suhocular — 



-VT i J ^• ,1 r. 1 1 . Fig. 28 — Lacbesis strigatus 



JNot touching the Srd labial. (nat. size). 



ASm/tf5. —Anterior usually 21 (rarely ID); midbody usually 21 (rarely 



23) ; posterior usually 15 (rarely 17). 



Distinbution. — The Western Ghats and the Nilgiri, Anamallay, 

 Shevaroy, an 1 Pulney Hills of Southern India, at altitudes from 

 3,000 to 8,000 feet. Gray mentions it as ccn.nion ab(.ut Ootuca- 

 mund, and Jerdon as nut uncommon in the wooded parts of the 

 Nilgirls ; but. judging frcm the paucity of specin.ens in museums, and 

 the written testimony if frier.ds, it appears to nie an unccmmon snake 

 everywhere. 



Poison. — Jerdon* mentions being bitten by one. A ligature speedily 

 applied, followed by suction, warded otF any ill-efFeds, but the skin 

 round the bite blackened in a minute or two, detached itself, and came 

 off in his mouth during suction. 



Dimensions. — Grows to \\ feet. 



Coloxir. — The prevailing colour is brown, mottled darker to form an 

 irregular coarse variegation. A pale buff or yellowish horse-shoe mark 

 on the nape. A dark streak behind the eye. Beneath light coloured 

 mottled with darker hues. 



Joaraal Asiatic Soc., Bangal, Vol. XXtl., p, h'lb. 



