182 JOlRNAL, .SATUllAL ULS'J'. SOCIETY OF SIAM Vol, I. 



Family. VIFEh'llU':. 

 39. Vipera Russellii. yl^^s^b•e//^s• Vipct'. 



Siamese ^ [[\ir} i«]JT (iKja iiiaair sao). 



The origan ot the words '' inaaw sao," meaning '" sleepy cat," is 

 obscure, but. may refer to the lethargic disposition of this creature. 



As lar as I am aware, the only specimen of this poisonous snake 

 that has been found in Bangkok was one killed on the grounds of the 

 Sports Club several years ago. It has been met with iu several 

 localities near Bangkok, but appears to be nowhere common. My 

 collector once caught one in the roof of an attap shelter upon a raft at 

 8am Kok, an unusual position to find this snake in, as its corpulent 

 build does not at all fit it for climbing. It is no doubt in this way, 

 namely drifting down the river upon some log or floating structure, 

 that most of them find their way to us from the North. Kussell's 

 Viper is not usually accounted a lover of the water, and the wet paddy 

 plains of this ])art of the country, are probably not to its liking. 



in disposition it is sluggish in the extreme, and will usually 

 not attempt to move oiit of the \\ay when met with. The three occa- 

 sions that I Ivuow of, when snipe shooters have encountered it, all 

 confirm this, the snake making no attempt to escape and allowing 

 itself to be shot at close ((uarters. 



The only specimen 1 ever kept alive, fed readily upon mice. 



Poison. The poison of Russell's Viper, although less toxic than 

 cobra venom, is fatal to man, death occurring in the cases which have 

 been recorded, in about 24 hours or longer. 



Lemji/i. 1600 mm. 



Color (in life). Light brown above, with three longitudinal 

 chains of large dark brown oval spots, the dorsal row somewhat larger 

 than the two lateral ones. The spots have a black periphery and 

 are edged with white. Between them are two other series of spots, 

 considerably smaller and much elongated, and others adorn the flanks 

 lower down. Belly white, with dark semi-lunar spots. Head with 

 dark symmetrical markings, including a lozenge shaped patch upon 

 the forehead, another patch below the eye, and a streak from the eye 

 to the angle of the mouth. The photograph is excellent. Upon the 

 superficial resemblance of this snake to the harmless Di2>i<adomo7'fhus 

 imdtiviacidaius I have already remarked. 



