1 82 REPTILES AND BATRACHIANS 



distribution, is more handsome, being yellowish, pinkish, 

 or pale reddish above, with broad, dark brown or brick-red 

 cross-bars, which usually break up on the vertebral line, 

 forming alternating triangles ; a dark temporal streak is 

 often present. Although not quite so aquatic as the 

 Moccasin Snake, the Copperhead likewise frequents 

 swampy localities, feeding on frogs and mammals ; it will 

 not, however, as far as I am aware, accept fish. It also 

 does exceedingly well in captivity, specimens having lived 

 in Regent's Park for over ten years. 



The Eastern Pit-Viper, A. rhodostoma, of Siam, the 

 Malay Peninsula, Java, and Sumatra, is a beautiful creature, 

 suggestive of a Python in its markings ; it is reddish-brown 

 above, with large, angular, dark brown, black-edged spots, 

 disposed in opposite pairs ; the lips are pinkish. 



In Java, where it has been well known for a considerable 

 time, it is regarded as a most dangerous species, cases being 

 told of men dying five minutes after having been bitten ; 

 in the Malay Peninsula, however, the natives do not 

 believe its bite to be at all dangerous. The snake, which 

 is very inconspicuous when lying on the dead leaves 

 amongst which it is usually found, is, unlike the American 

 members of the genus, of a very sluggish disposition. 



In Lachesis, of South-Eastern Asia, and Central and 

 Southern America, the head is somewhat more elongate 

 proportionately than in the preceding genus. The body 

 is usually more slender and longer, and may be covered 

 with either keeled or smooth scales. The New World 

 species are all very venomous, while those of the Old 

 World are not considered by the natives to be particularly 

 dangerous. • t 



