1903. ] ON VARIATIONS OF THE SAND-VIPER, 185 
? Balistes bipes Gronow, Cat. Fish, p. 37 (1854), 
Triacanthus brevirostris (part.) Giinther, Cat. viii. p. 209 (1870). 
Depth of body about 2} times in the total length, length of 
head 33-33 times, length of caudal peduncle 41~4} times. Snout 
straight, about 21 times in the length of head ; eye-diameter about 
37 times and equal to interorbital width. Length of postorbital 
part of head less than eye-diameter. Interorbital space with 
median ridge with a groove on each side of it; occipital crest 
strongly elevated, the distance from the base of first dorsal spine 
to the upper angle of gill-opening rather more than the distance 
from the base of the first dorsal spine to the anterior margin of 
eye. D. V, 24-25; A. 18-20; first dorsal spine longer than the 
head, the others short ; length of base of anal fin about 12 times 
in that of the base of soft dorsal fin; pelvis between the ventral 
spines broad, not much narrowed posteriorly ; membrane between 
first two rays of spinous dorsal fin blackish. 
Total length 126 mm. 
Hab, Kast Indian Archipelago. 
This species has a shorter and more declivous snout than 
Tr. brevirostris, and also occipital crest more elevated, postorbital 
part of head shorter and body deeper. 
5. On the Geographical Variations of the Sand-Viper, Vipera 
ammodytes. By G. A. BoutencEr, F.R.S., V.P.Z.S. 
[Received January 30, 1903.1] 
(Text-figures 27 & 28.) 
The variations of Vipera ammodytes in connection with the 
distribution of the species have not received sufticient attention. 
Having succeeded in bringing together and carefully comparing a 
series of 55 specimens from various localities, J have convinced 
myself that the South-eastern specimens (Greece, Archipelago, 
Syria) can be distinguished from the typical form from Austria- 
Hungary, Dalmatia, Bosnia, and Montenegro, not by means of 
any single absolute character, but by a combination of characters, 
as shown by the following definitions :— 
Forma typica (text-fig. 27 @)—Naso-rostral shield usually * 
reaching the canthus rostralis, and extending considerably higher 
up than the upper border of the rostral, which is usually broader 
than deep (text-fig. 28 a); rostral “horn” with 3 (rarely 2 or 4) 
transverse series of scales between the rostral shield and the 
apex. Ventral shields 145 to 163. The dark shade on the lower 
lip, if present, broken up by light bars separated by 2 to 4 labial 
shields. Lower surface of end of tail usually red?, Grows to 
80 centimetres. 
Var. meridionalis (text-fig. 27 6)—Naso-rostral shield never 
1 5 exceptions out of 30 specimens examined 
2 Yellow in one specimen from the Dinaric Alps, Bosnia. 
