54 



THE POISONOUS SNAKES OF INDIA. 



2nd labial. Suhocular touches the 3rd labial. 2ml labial with a furrow 

 in its upper part dire.;tad into the loreal pit. Scales. — Anterior 21, 

 usually (rarely 23) ; midbody 21 (rarely 19) ; posterior 17 (rarely 15). 



Distribntion. — Khasi Hills, Assam, Thibet. 



Poison. — Nothing kown. 



Dimensions. — Grows to 2^ feet. 



Colour. — Variegated greenish and black. Head black, ornamented 

 with yellow. Belly mottled greenish and black. 

 LACHESIS GR A,M1NETJS-Tlie Comoioa Greea Viper or Samljoo Saate. 



Identification. — Scales 

 15 in the posterior part 

 of the body, supraocular 

 a single shield, suprala- 

 bials 9 to 12, the 2ud 

 furrowed in its upper 

 half, if co-existing wil } 

 serve to identify it. 



Supplementary char- 

 act ers. — Iniernasals. — A 

 pair, in contact, or sepa- 

 rated by one or two small 

 scales. Supraoculars — 

 A single shield. Nasal — 

 Sometimes united with 



J^2 



Fig, 34. — Lacheeis graminens (nat. size). 

 (Variety from Western Ghats.) 



1st labial, sometimes distinct ; small scales may or may not be intercalat- 

 ed between it and the 2nd labial. Suhocular may or may not touch 

 the Hrd laoial. 2nd labial with a lurrow in its upper part directed into 

 the loreal pit. Scales. — Anterior, 21 ; midbody, 21 ; posterior, 15. 



Distribution. — Much the most plentiful and the most widely distri- 

 buted of our Indian Pit-Vipers. From the Malayan region it extends 

 through Burma, includiog the Andamans and Nicobars, to the Hima- 

 layan region probably as far west as the Sutlej Biver. It is found in 

 the Eastern Ghats, Western Ghats, Nilgiiis and other hills in the 

 Peninsula of India. It does not occur in the plains of India, but 

 affects an altitude of from 1,500 to 6,000 feet. East of Calcutta it 

 occurs in the plains and hills alike. 



