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XXI. Observations on a Viper found in Cranborne Chace, Dorset- 

 shire. By the Rev. Thomas Rackett, F.R.S. 4- L.S. 



Read April 15, 1817. 



The Viper which accompanies this paper does not appear to 

 have been noticed by any British naturalist. It is probably Co- 

 luber Chersea of Linnaeus. 



Coluber Chersea. Liiin. Syst. Nat. i. 377- 'i84>. Gwze/. iii. ^, 1091. 

 Fn. Suec. 285. Act. Stock. 1749- p. 246. t. 6. Jig. 1. 2. Laur. 

 Reptil. p. 97- ". 214. Weigel in Abh. der Hall. Naturf. Ges. i. 

 p. 12. 



" Habitat in Sueciae praesertini Smolandiae, Scaniae, Uplandiee, 



" coryletis et fruticosis depressis, etiam in Pomeraniae dumetis. 



" Bero satis affinis, et citius funesta nisi pars morsa statim rese- 



" cetur. 9i poll, longus. 

 " Bero minor, color obscurius spadiceus, caput ovatum, truncus 



teres." 



Linnaeus has described this species in the Swedish Transactions 

 for the year 1749, and has given a figure which nearly resembles 

 our specimen. The heart-shaped spot on the head is apparent. 

 The belly is quite plain, and has not the appearance of steel ob- 

 servable in the common viper. Linnaeus lays great stress on a 

 dark spot near the extremity of the tail, as a distinguishing cha- 

 racter of the species : this mark is very evident in the one under 

 examination. 



2 z 2 I received 



