262 CLASS xv. 



Faun., Amphib. Heft 3, BELL Brit. Kept. p. 61, Cuv. R. Ani., ed. ill., 

 JKept. PI. 3r, fig. i, VAN LIER Verhandel. over de slangen en adders van het 

 landschap Drenthe, Amsterdam, 1781, 4to, PI. n. bl. 84 and foil. ; adder, 

 viper, Vipdre commune, Natter &c. In many countries of Europe, in Sweden, 

 Russia, Germany, England, north of France, Lornbardy, &c. The number 

 of unpaired abdominal scutes is about 140, and of the caudal scutes there 

 are 40 43 pairs. The bite of this species is but seldom fatal to man, and 

 VAN LIER states that, after all his inquiries, he has not been able to find 

 a single example in the district Drenthe of death having followed the bite 

 of a viper. BELL gives the same as the result of his investigations in 

 England ; the viper of the south of Europe, recorded above, Vipera aspis, 

 appears to be more dangerous. Vipera prester, Coluber prester~L. is generally 

 considered to be a variety of Vipera berus; it is quite black; it is the 

 Coluber Vipera anglorum LAURENTI 1. 1. Tab. iv. fig. i ; STEENSTRDP regards 

 it as a distinct species ; KRONER'S TidsJcrift, n. 1839, pp. 544, 545- 



Echis MERR., DUM. and BIBR., Scytale DAUD. Subcaudal scutes 

 unpaired. Head scaly. 



Sp. Vipera echis SCHLEG., Scytale bizonatus DAUD., Echis carinata MERR. 

 ( Vipera pyramidum, Descr. de VEgypte), Echis pavo REUSS, DAUD. He.pt. v. 

 PI. 70, fig. i, copied from RUSSELL; Echis frenata DUM. and BIBR., 

 Echis arenicola and Echis varia REUSS, Mus. Senkenb. I. Tab. vii. fig. i ; 

 species from North Africa and the continent of the East Indies. 



Acanthophis DAUD., WAGL., Ophryas MERR. Tail with several 

 unpaired scutes below, towards the extremity covered with scales, 

 with apex aculeate. Head scutate; superciliary scute erect, pro- 

 minent. 



.. ' "'. .' . : 



Sp. Vipera palpebrosa nob., Acanthophis cerastinus DAUD., DUM. and BIBR., 

 Ophryas Acanthophis MERR., MERREM Bietrage, n. Tab. 3, GUERIN Iconogr., 

 Kept. PI. 24, fig. -2 ; in New HoUand. 



Family VI. Elapina. Upper jaw with a large grooved tooth 

 and some other smaller and solid placed "behind it. Head scutate, 

 differing in breadth from the trunk slightly or not at all. Tail j 

 round, short, often conical or fusiform. 



Sepedon Merrem (Species of Naja BOIE, SCHLEG.). Teeth in 

 upper jaw none except the poison-tooth. Head short, coni- 

 cal. Loral scute none 1 . Scales carinate. Tail below covered with 

 paired scutes. 



1 For the explanation of the terminology of the scutes of the head employed by 

 MERREM, and of which we here and elsewhere make use, see PI. XX. figs. 5, 6, 7, of 

 this volume. 



