THE PRINCIPAL SPECIES OF POISONOUS SNAKES ol 
Coloration brown, with black spots or transverse bands ; black, 
light-edged band from the eye to the angle of the mouth; belly 
dark brown, or more or less whitish. 
Total length, 590 millimetres; tail 90. 
Habitat: Himalayas (5,000 to 10,000 feet), especially in the 
North-west; Khasi Hills. 
This snake feeds chiefly on mice. 
A. rhodostoma.—Snout pointed, somewhat turned up at the 
tip: 7—9 supralabial shields; body scales in 21 rows; 138—157 
ventrals ; 34—54 subcaudal pairs. 
Coloration reddish, grey, or pale brown above, with large 
angular, dark brown, black-edged spots arranged in pairs or alter- 
nating. Vertebral line almost black; lips yellow, speckled with 
brown ; brown, black-edged band, running from the eye to the 
angle of the mouth. Belly yellowish, spotted with greyish-brown. 
Total length, 810 millimetres ; tail 90. 
Habitat: Java. 
A. hypnale (fig. 31).—Snout more or less turned up, with 
a hard, pointed end; 7—8 supralabial shields; body scales in 
17 rows ; 125—155 ventrals ; 28—45 subcaudal pairs. 
Coloration very variable ; brown, yellowish, or greyish above 
sometimes with dark brown spots or transverse bands. Cheeks 
’ 
brown, with a longitudinal, white, black-edged streak on each side 
of the neck. Belly more or less speckled with dark brown. 
Total length, 480 millimetres ; tail 65. 
Habitat: Ceylon, and Western Ghats of India as far north as 
Bombay. 
In Ceylon this snake is known as the Carawalla. It is much 
dreaded, but its bite is not rapidly fatal. 
(f) Lachesis. 
This genus has many representatives in Asia and the New 
World. The American species are for the most part of larger 
size and more formidable. 
