422 



522. Echis carinata. 



Russell, Ind. Serp. i, pi. ii ; Geoffr. Descr. Egypte, pi. vii, fig. 1. 



Pseudoboa carinata, Schneid. Hist. Amph. ii, p. 285. 



Echis carinata, Merr. Tent. p. 149; Dunn. $ Bibr. Erp. Gen. vii, 



p. 1448, pi. Ixxxi bis, fig. 3 ; Giinth. llept. B. 1. p. 397 ; Fayrer, 



Thanatoph. pi. xii : Anders. P. Z. 8. 1871, p. 196 ; Blanf. Zool. E. 



Pars. p. 430; Theob. Cat. p. 218; Blanf. J. A. S. B. xlviii, 1879, 



pt. 2, p. 116 ; Murray, Zool. Sind, p. 388, pi. . 

 Echis arenicola, Boie, Isis, 1827, p. 558. 



Head distinct from neck ; snout very short and rounded ; nostril 

 between three shields ; head covered with small keeled scales, 

 among which an enlarged supraocular is sometimes present ; 10 to 

 15 scales across the forehead, from eye to eye ; two series of scales 

 between the eye and the labials ; 11 or 12 upper labials, fourth 

 usually largest. Scales strongly keeled, the keel on the lateral 

 scales serrated, saw-like ; 25 to 29 scales round the anterior part 

 of the body, 29 to 35 round the middle. Veutrals 138-185 ; anal 



Fig. 124. Scales of Echis carinata. 



entire ; subcaudals 21-40. Pale buff, greyish, reddish, or pale 

 brown above, with three series of whitish spots edged with dark 

 brown ; a zigzag dark brown band may run along each side ; a 

 cruciform or yk- shaped, whitish, dark -edged marking on the head ; 

 lower parts whitish, uniform or with brown dots. 



Total length 2 feet ; tail 2-5 inches. 



Hob. The desert sandy districts of North Africa, South-Western 

 Asia, and India. Blanford records the exceptional occurrence of 

 this species between Durnagudem and Ellore, in thin forest, the 

 soil of which is, however, very sandy. It appears to be found, 

 though rarely, in South-western Bengal, but it is common in the 

 North-west Provinces, the Central Provinces, the Punjab, Sind, and 

 Cutch ; and it occurs as far south as the Carnatic. It is also said 

 to be common in parts of the Concan, south of Bombay. This 

 small viper is very fierce and aggressive, and Sir J. Payrer's 

 experiments have shown its poison to be very active, killing a fowl 

 in about two minutes, and a dog in about four hours. 



