2596 SCALED REPTILES 



is clothed only with smooth or slightly-ridged scales, among which seldom more 

 than a single polygonal roundish one can be regarded as representing a frontal 

 shield; moreover, instead of the single row of small scales generally separating the 

 eye of the common viper from the upper labial shields, the southern form always 

 has two such rows. There is likewise a difference in the shape of the muzzle in the 

 two forms. The southern viper may be considered characteristic of the Mediter- 

 ranean countries, occurring in North Africa as well as in Europe. It is noteworthy 

 that in the borderland of the distributional areas of the two forms, such as Northern 

 Spain and Italy, it is difficult to say to which of the two any specimen may belong. 

 More numerous in Scotland than the ringed snake, but, like it, unknown in 

 Ireland, the common viper generally frequents heaths, dry woods, and sandy banks. 

 Although its bite produces severe effects, it is seldom, unless the sufferer be very 

 young or in ill health, that death ensues. During the winter months, vipers gen- 

 erally hibernate in small parties for the sake of mutual warmth, several being often 

 found twined together in a torpid condition. 



Another well-known poisonous European snake is the long-nosed or 

 r.. sand viper ( V. ammodytes) easily recognized by the presence of a soft 



horny appendage at the end of the nose, covered with scales, and not 

 unlike a conical wart in appearance. It is also distinguished from the common vi- 

 per by the absence of any large shield, except the supraoculars, on the top of the 

 head; although in coloration the two species are very similar. In size it is the largest 

 European representative of the group, attaining a length in some rare instances of 

 just over a yard. The sand viper ranges from Italy to Armenia. In Carinthia it 

 is the commonest of snakes, while in the Tyrol it is local, but abundant in the south 

 of Hungary and Dalmatia. Mainly nocturnal it is much more commonly found in 

 hilly than in level districts, ascending in the mountains to a height of between 

 three thousand and four thousand feet. Except during the pairing season, when it 

 is found in couples, it is a solitary creature, subsisting on other snakes, mice, voles, 

 birds, and lizards. 



As being one of the deadliest of Indian snakes, we may take as our 



~D II' 



us !f. next example of the genus the beautiful Russell's viper ( V. russelli) 



of India, Ceylon, Burma, and Siam. From the other viper inhabiting 

 Kashmir, this species may be distinguished by having the rostral shield of the head 

 as long as broad, and the scales on the body arranged in from twenty-seven to thirty- 

 one rows. Sometimes known as the chain viper, this snake attains a length of four 

 feet. Its ground color is pale brown, with three longitudinal series of black light- 

 'edged rings, sometimes replaced by faint dark spots, the lower parts being yellow- 

 ish white, either with or without small crescentic black spots. In young specimens, 

 as shown in our illustration,' the black rings on the upper parts surround dark 

 reddish-brown spots, which in the middle series are in contact with one another. 

 Sir J. Fayrer regards this snake as being, next to the cobra, the most dangerous in 

 India, stating that fowls bitten by it sometimes expire in less than a minute. "It 

 is nocturnal in its habits, is sluggish, and does not readily strike unless irritated, 

 when it bites with great fury; it hisses fiercely and strikes with vigor. Its long 

 movable fangs are very prominent objects, and with them it is capable of inflicting 



