VIPERINE SNAKES. 81 



body with more or less distinctly keeled scales, in from seventeen 

 to twenty-five series. Body and tail of moderate length, prehensile. 

 These reptiles are more or less arboreal, as is indicated by their 

 prehensile tail, and by their green or varied coloration. " In 

 general," remarks Dr. Giinther, '' they are sluggish, not attempting 

 to move out of the way, and as they very closely resemble the 

 branch on which they rest, they are frequently not perceived until 

 they prepare to dart, vibrating the tail, and uttering a faint 

 hissing sound, or until they have struck the disturber of their rest. 

 Accidents caused, by them, therefore, are not of uncommon occur- 

 rence, and it is a fortunate circumstance that comparatively few 

 of them attain to a size of more than two feet, so that the conse- 

 quences of their bite are less to be dreaded than that of various 

 other poisonous Snakes. Indeed, numerous cases are on record 

 which show that the symptoms indicating a general effect on the 

 system were of short duration, extending only over from two to 

 forty-eight hours, and confined to vomiting, retching, and fever. 

 After the pain and swelling of the bitten member or spot have 

 subsided, the vicinity round the wound becomes discoloured, 

 mortifies, and is finally thrown off as a black, circular slough, 

 after which health is speedily restored. The bite of larger speci- 

 mens, from two to three feet long, is more dangerous, and has 

 occasionally jjroved fatal ; so that the greatest care should always 

 be observed in the immediate treatment of the patient. When 

 roused, these Snakes are extremely fierce, striking at everything 

 within their reach ; and Cantor states that in the extreme of fury 

 they will fix their fangs in their own bodies. Frogs, small mam- 

 malia, and birds form their food, and I have never found a Lizard 

 or Snake in their stomach." 



Three or more of the species inhabiting India and Burmah are 

 of a beautiful leaf- green colour, which changes to dull blue after 

 long immersion in spirit. The commonest of them, T. carinatus, 

 varies remarkably in colouring, however, in the Andaman and 

 Nicobar Islands ; if, indeed, the species be quite the same. These 

 grow to over three feet in length, of which size they are sufficiently 

 formidable. The kindred genus, Peltopelor, is founded on a single 

 species inhabiting the mountains of Southern India, P. macrolepis^ 

 which is remarkable for the very large scales with which its head 



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