VIPERA AMMODYTES. 237 



on the body with short transverse lines, forming four longi- 

 tudinal series, the dorsal line being formed by the junction 

 of the two central rows ; in some individuals there is no 

 dorsal line, the general colour being rusty brown, with 

 black spots ; sometimes the dark lines on the head diverge 

 so as to form the letter T. There are many other 

 variations observable, too numerous and uncertain to be 

 described. 



Entire length of the full-grown animal, from 18 inches 

 to 2 feet. 



This Yiper inhabits desert, stony, and hilly districts 

 throughout nearly the whole of Europe. Near Paris it is not 

 uncommon ; is found in many parts of France, but is not 

 included by Crespon in his ' Faune Meridionale ;' all over 

 Italy and its Islands, Greece, Dalmatia, Istria, the South 

 of Switzerland; in the Cantons of Geneva, Vaud, Vallais, 

 and Ticino ; has been met with in Belgium, in the Province 

 of Luxemburg, in Prussia, and other parts of Germany, 

 Poland, and as far North as Sweden, Norway, and Silesia. 

 Is unknown in the British Islands. 



Vipera ammodytes. 



Vipera ammodytes, Dum. et Bib. toI. vii. p. 1414 ; Schinz, Europ. 

 Faun. vol. ii. p. 54 ; Buon. Faun. Ital. (figured). 



Description. — This species is easily distinguished from the 

 V. aspis by its prolonged muzzle, which ends in a soft 

 point, and is covered with small scales ; in other respects 

 it closely resembles the latter ; in the size and position of 

 its poison-fangs, as well as in the effects of its bite, and in 

 the variations of colour and markings, it is not to be di- 

 stinguished from it. The ventral plates are from 152 to 

 161 ; the subcandal from twenty-eight to thirty-five pairs ; 

 the tail is about a ninth of the entire length in the male, 

 and about a tenth in the female. 



