TRIMEBESURTJS. 



425 



sometimes a white black-edged longitudinal streak on each side of 

 the neck ; belly more or less closely powdered with dark brown. 



Total length 19 inches ; tail 2-5. 



Hob. The " Karawala " is found in Ceylon and in the "Western 

 Ghats of India as far north as Bombay. Its bite is said to be but 

 exceptionally fatal to man. 



Genus TRIMERESURUS, 



Lac^pede, Ann. du Mus. iv, 1804, pp. 196, 209 (part.). 



Head covered with scales above. Tail often prehensile, ending 

 in a point ; subcaudal shields in two rows in the Asiatic species. 



Fig. 126. Head of Trimeresurus monticola. 



Distribution. East Indies, Southern China, and Loo Choo Islands*, 

 Tropical America. About 25 species are known. 



This genus includes terrestrial and arboreal species, but the two 

 divisions are so insensibly blended as to render their distinction 

 almost impossible. 



T. flavoviridis, Hallow. ( = T. riukianus, Hilgend.). 



