786 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN. 



wm 



JARARACA. 



NOTEWORTHY REPTILES IN THE COL- 

 LECTION. 



AFTER waiting some years we are again 

 able to exhibit a large and fine example 

 of the Fer-de-Lance. This deadly snake 

 inhabits southern Mexico, Central America, a 

 great part of tropical South America and a few 

 islands of the Lesser Antilles. It receives its 

 name from the triangular or lanceolate outline 

 of the head. Our specimen is about five and a 

 half feet long, and its color is grayish-green, 

 with dark, yellow-edged transverse blotches. 



This snake is technically known as Lachesis 

 lanceolatiis. It is fairly common over the greater 

 portion of its habitat, but we have always ex- 

 perienced difficulty in obtaining specimens, ow- 

 ing to the great fear inspired by this and a 

 number of closely related species of snakes. 



It is of interest to note that a representative 

 of another species of Lachesis is on exhibition. 

 This is the Jararaca — often called by the In- 

 dians the Yarara. It is technically known as 

 L. neuweidii, and inhabits Brazil, Paraguay and 

 Argentina. Differing from the Fer-de-Lance, it 

 is quite vividly marked. The color pattern con- 

 sists of alternating brown triangles, pointing up 

 from the sides. The ground color is yellowish. 

 The reptile possesses the characteristic triangu- 

 lar head of the genus, and is quick and vicious. 

 When irritated it vibrates the tail until that or- 

 gan is visually blurred by the rapid motion. 

 The bite of this snake is alleged to be generally 

 fatal. A South American surgeon. Dr. Vital 

 Brazil, is now making specific anti-toxic serums 

 for the bites of the various species of deadly 

 snakes of his countr}'. 



At this time our series of poisonous serpents 



HORNED RATTLESNAKE, 



is j)articularly large and representative. An- 

 other arrival is the formidable Russell's Viper, 

 (J'ippra russeUi), an Indian and Malayan rep- 

 tile that is also well known by its native name 

 of Tic Polonga. This beautiful, chocolate- 

 brown creature, with bold black rosettes, was 

 tlie theme of one of Conan Doyle's best detec- 

 tive stores, "The Speckled Band." The Russell 

 Viper is a thick-bodied, alert and vicious ser- 

 pent which, in combination with the Krait and 

 the Cobra, has substantially increased the human 

 death rate of India. Sharing the cage of our 

 specimen is a snappy and dangerous little ori- 

 ental reptile known as the Carpet Viper. In a 

 nearby cage is a colony of Nose-Horned Vipers, 

 from southern Europe. 



While enumerating recent arrivals among the 

 venomous serpents, some of our rattlesnakes de- 

 serve mention. Of these there is a splendid 

 series on exhibition. Seven species are repre- 

 sented, and two of these are probably for the 

 first time exhibited in captivity. The latter are 

 the Green Rattlesnake, (Crotahis lepidus), and 

 the White Rattlesnake, (f. mitchelli). The 

 White Rattlesnake was captured during the in- 

 vestigations of Director Townsend, of the 

 Aquarium, while in Lower California. Few ex- 

 amples of this reptile are preserved in the 

 museums. It is a desert species, with a singu- 

 larly broad, swollen head. Dr. Townscnd's 

 specimen differs from most of the examples pre- 

 viously known, in being decidedly pinkish. 



It was through Dr. Townscnd's work among 

 the little known islands of Lower California that 

 the reptile collection was enriched with a num- 

 ber of curious desert lizards. The majority of 

 these are of a kind known popularly as Chuck- 

 awallas, — genus Sauromalus. Two species were 



