CHAPTER XXV 



FAUNA: REPTILES, AMPHIBIANS, AND FISH 



THE Reptiles of Liberia, so far as is known, offer no 

 species restricted to that country in its geographical 

 distribution, though there are here represented most of 

 the forms peculiar to West Africa north of the Equator. 



Amongst the long array of Snakes at least ten are poisonous, 

 though it is remarkable how very seldom any death is reported 

 to occur from snake-bite in this country, or in other parts of 

 Africa, as compared with Asia, Australia, and America. Of 

 the Viper group of poisonous snakes there are two puff-adders 

 of the genus Bitis B. gabonica and B. nasicornis, both very 

 gaudily coloured 1 and differing one from the other in head 

 markings, and also in that Bitis nasicornis develops two little 

 pointed quill-like horns above the nostrils, which can be erected 

 when the snake is angry. This horned puff-adder has more 

 red-purple in the colour of its sides than the very similar 

 Gaboon puff-adder. 



Most of the vipers are viviparous (producing their young 

 alive), but two African forms (also found in Liberia) (dtractaspis 

 and Causus) lay eggs. In the case of the horned puff-adder, 

 the young when born are a foot long. The adult puff-adders 

 of these two species (which are generally called " cassava " 



1 Bitis gabonica is illustrated in my book on Uganda. Its range extends 

 eastwards to the Victoria Nyanza. 



807 



