THE POISONOUS SNAKES OF INDIA. 



321 



Poison. — The bite is rarely if ever fatal, but severe local effects and 

 constitutional disturbances are usually attendant. There is abundant 

 evidence to substantiate this assertion, among Europeans and natives 

 alike. 



Dimensions. — Grows to 3£ feet. 



Colours. — Usually vivid foliage-green. More rarely yellowish, or 

 olivaceous or brown, sometimes obscurely streaked or barred with bluck. 

 A well-defined white or yellow flank line usually. Belly whitish, 

 plumbeous, greenish, uniform or indistinctly mottled. 



Lachesis trigonocephalies — .The Green Tic. 



Identification. — The supraocular shield divided, and the subocular 



touching the 3rd labial, if found 

 co-existing, serve to fix its iden- 

 tity. 



Supplementary characters : 

 Internas'ils. — A pair in contact 

 with one another. Supraocular 

 divided. JS asal not united with 

 1st labial ; no small scales inter- 

 calated between it and the 2nd 

 labial. Subocular touches the 

 3rd labial. 2nd labial with a 

 furrow in its upper part directed 



Fig. 31—La.jtaesfc trigouooephaltu into the loreal P 11 - Scales.— 

 (nat. size). Anterior, 17 or 19; midbody 



17 or 19 ; posterior, 13 or 15. 



Distribution. — Peculiar to Ceylon where it is common in many 

 parts of the hills. It is known to the planters as the Green Tio 

 Pobnga. 



Poison.— Mr. Drummond Hay has informed me in a letter that he 

 once had a Eurasian conductor b'tten by a full grown one in his 

 presence. The bitten hand swelled up at once, but by evening had 

 much reduced, and the following day the swelling had almost entirely 

 disappeared. 



Dimensions. — Grows to 1\ feet. 



Co'nur. — Foliage-green, uniform, or with black blotchings. A black 

 streak behind the eye. Belly uniform greenish or yellowish. 



