3. VIPERA. 477 
Vipera limnwa, Bendiscioli, Giorn. Fis. Stor. Nat. (2) ix. 1826, 
. 431, 
: trilamina, Millet, Faune Maine et Loire, ii. p. 651, pl. v. fig. 2 
(1828). 
Pelias chersea, Ménétr. Cat. Rais. a 73 (1832). ; 
Vipera torva, Lenz, Schlangenk. p. 133, pls. i.—iv. & viii. (1832). 
Pelias prester, Steenstr. Nat. Tidsskr. Copenh. ii, 1839, p. 542. 
—— dorsalis, Gray, Zool. Miscell. p. 71 (1842). 
Echidnoides trilamina, Mauduyt, Herp. Vienne, p. 29 (1844). 
Vipera pelias, Sowbeiran, De la Vipére, p. 30 (1855), and Bull. Soc. 
Acchim. x. 1863, p. 397. 
berus, part., Strauch, Syn. Viper. p. 32 (1869) and Schl. Russ. 
R. p. 206 (1873); Tournev. Bull. Soc. Zool. France, 1881, p. 58, 
pl. i. figs. 728 & 1030; Camerano, Mon. Ofid. Ital., Viper. p. 35, 
pl. i. figs. 8, 19, 20, 21, 26-29 (1888); Méhely, Zool. Anz. 1893, 
. 186. 
a. berus seoanei, Lataste, Bull. Soc. Zool. France, 1879, p. 132 ; 
Tournev. 1. c. p. 41, pl. i. figs. u, v, z. 
Snout broadly rounded or truncate, with strong canthus which is 
very rarely slightly raised; eye usually larger in males than in 
females, its vertical diameter equal to or greater than its distance 
from the mouth. Rostral as deep as broad, or slightly broader than 
deep, or a little deeper than broad, not or but scarcely visible from 
above, in contact with two apical shields, rarely with one; frontal 
and parietal shields usually distinct, the former as long as broad or 
a little longer than broad, usually shorter than its distance from the 
rostral, as long as or a little shorter than the parietals ; supraocular 
well developed, sometimes in contact with the frontal, usually 
separated from it by a series of two to four scales; 6 to 13 scales 
round the eye, usually 8 to 10; the upper preocular only excep- 
tionally in contact with the nasal; one, rarely two, series of scales 
between the eye and the labials; nasal single, not or but slightly 
larger than the eye, separated from the rostral by a naso-rostral ; 
temporal scales smooth, rarely feebly keeled ; 6 to 10 upper labials, 
usually 8 or 9; three or four (rarely five) lower labials in contact 
with the chin-shields. Scales in 21 rows (exceptionally 19 or 23), 
strongly keeled, outer row smooth or feebly keeled. Ventrals 132— 
150 (usually 137-147) in 3g, 132-158 (usually 140-150) in 9 ; 
anal entire; subcaudals 33-46 (usually 35-40) in g, 24-38 
(usually 28-33) in 2. Coloration very variable: grey, yellowish, 
olive, brown, or red above, usually with a dark undulating or zigzag 
band along the spine and a series of lateral spots; a /\-, >< -, or 
4A\-shaped dark marking on the back of the head, and a dark 
postocular streak ; upper labials whitish or yellowish, the anterior 
at least edged with brown or black; grey to brown or black beneath, 
uniform or spotted with darker or lighter ; end of tail usually yellow 
or coral-red. Some specimens entirely black, either through 
darkening of the ground-colour (@) or through extension of the 
black markings(¢). Males usually distinguishable from females 
by darker, deep black markings and lighter ground-colour. 
Total length: ¢, 660 millim.; tail 90. 9,700; 76. 
