THE POISONOUS SNAKES OF INDIA. 



317 



LacJiesis cantoris — Cantor's Viper. 



Identification. — Most easily identified by the rows of scales in the 

 middle of the body numbering 29. 



Supplementary characters : Internasals. — A pair separated by one 

 small scale. Supraocular — A single shield. Nasal partially or com- 

 pletely united with 1st labial ; no minute scales intercalated between 



2?rocs 



Jfrtf 



FiO. 29. — Lachesis cantoris (nat. size). 

 Note conflneucc of n;isal (N) and 1st supralabial (V). 



it and the 2nd labial. Subocular not touching the 3rd labial. 2nd 

 Labial furrowed in its upper half, and forming the inner wall of the 

 lore-d pit. Scales. — Anterior, 27 ; midbody, 29 ; posterior, 21. 



Distribution — Peculiar to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. 



Poisan.— Stoliczka remarks on the small size of the poison gland even 

 in specimens 3 to 4 feet long, and both he and Dr. Rink who visited 

 the insular groups above mentioned, where they found this snake 

 extremely abundant, elicited information from the natives showing that 

 they (the natives) did not regard the bite as fatal. 



Colour. — There are two varieties, the one bright green or dull 

 greenish with dark spots, cften arranged alternately in five longitudinal 

 series ; the other light, or dark brown, spotted with pale greonish. 

 Usually a well-defined white line runs along the flanks, and the head 



