Mr. E. D. Cope on a new Species of Vipera. 181 



On a Species of Vipera hitherto unknown. 

 By E. D. Cope. 



Vipera confluenta, sp. nov. 



Head much longer than broad, covered with small scales, which 

 are more or less keeled as far anterior as the postfrontal region. 

 Superciliaries little developed, once or many times divided. Scales 

 of the upper surface of the muzzle larger ; a well-developed supra- 

 nasal. Prenasal large, erect, undivided ; postnasal developed in 

 front of, and narrowly superior to, the nostril. Three rows of scales 

 between the orbits and the superior labials. The latter are eleven in 

 number, the fourth longest, the first in contact with the prenasal. 

 Rostral higher than broad. Inferior labials fourteen, fifth largest. 

 Scales of the body in 25 rows, all keeled, never spiniferous. Gastro- 

 steges 180 ; urosteges 48. Length from muzzle to rictus H inch, 

 from muzzle to vent 30^ inches, from vent to end of tail 4^ inches. 



General ground-colour brownish yellow ; belly paler. A broad 

 undulating brown band, resembUng a confluence of alternate rounded 

 spots, extends from the nape to the end of the tail. A dark brown 

 lateral streak, which is interrupted at regular intervals, extends 



throughout the greater part of the length. Labial regions yellowish; 

 a brown band from orbit to angle of mouth ; a brown spot below 

 orbit. 



The habitat of this species is not known, but is probably Africa. 

 Its nearest ally is the F. Libitina, with which it forms a section of 

 the genus characterized by a superciliary plate more or less subdi- 

 vided, and leading off to Echidna. In the writer's opinion, the genus 

 Vipera is to be separated from Echidna by its large prenasal plate, 

 and postnasal slightly developed above the nostril, which is always 



