SNAKES OF SOUTH AFEICA. 181 



"Frequently found in the Cape Colony." — Smith. Port Natal, 

 Port Elizabeth (B. M.) 



VI. ViPEEIDJE. 



28. Vipera, Laur. 



A. Lower surface of tail with a well-developed double series of sub- 



caudal shields, as in the innocuous snakes. 



1. Nostrils directed upwards, their distance from the lip equalling 



the distance from the eye to the lip - - - arietans. 



2. Nostrils lateral. 



11 or 12 shields border the upper lip on each side, the fourth being 

 considerably larger than the others ----- atropos. 



13 subequal labial shields on each side ; head tliick and globular, nearly 

 twice the diameter of the neck ----- atropoides. 



13 or 14 subequal labial shields on each side ; head much longer than 

 broad ; coloration uniform yellowish brown - - - inornata. 



B. Lower surface of tail with feebly differentiated, feebly-keeled scales. 

 No horn-like tubercle above the eye - - - - . schneideri. 

 A horn-like erect tubercle above the eye - - - - caudalis. 

 Two or more erect horn-like tubercles above the eye - - - cornuta. 



4:4:. Vipera arietans, Merr. Echidna arietans, Smith, 111., 

 App. p. 21 ; Dum. & Bibr. vii. p. 1425. Vipera arietans, Jan, 

 Icon. 45, vi. 3 & 4. " Puff Adder " of the Cape colonists. " Has 

 been observed in all the districts of S. Africa which have been 

 visited by Europeans." — Smith. Cape, Natal (B. M.) 



45. Vipera atropos, L. Smith, 111. pi. Hi. ; Jan, Icon. 45, iv. 

 1 & 2. Echidna atropos, Dum. & Bibr. vii. p. 1432. " Berg 

 Adder " of the colonists. " Has been found in every district of 

 S. Ah-iea."— Smith. Cape (B. M.) 



46. Vipera atropoides. Smith, 111. pi. liii. " The only 

 specimen procured [which is now in the British Museum] was 

 from the vicinity of a missionary institution about forty miles 

 to the eastward of Cape Town." — Smith. 



47. Vipera inornata. Smith. Echidna inornata. Smith, 111. 

 pi. iv. " This snake [now in the British Museum] was killed in the 

 Sneeubergen, or Snow Mountains, which are situated immediately 

 behind the village of Graaff Eeynet."— *S'h(/^/;. 



48. Vipera schneideri, Boettger, Ber. Scuckenb. Ges. 1886, 

 p. 8, pi. i. fig. 1. Angra Pequeiia. 



49. Vipera caudalis. Smith, 111. pi. vii. Cerastes oceUatus, 



