THE POISONOUS SNAKES OP INDIA, 



47 



fro 



LACHESIS MONTICOLA— The Large-spotted Viper. 



Identification.— This is the only species that has no subocular 



shield, and this character will 

 serve to diagnose it. 



Supplementary characters. — 

 Internasals. — A pair, separated 

 by from 1 to 3 small scales. 

 Supraocular. — A single shield. 

 Nasal. — Not united with 1st 

 labial ; no minute scales inter- 

 calated between it and the 2nd 

 labial. Suhocular absent; 2ncl 

 labial furrowed in its upper half, 

 and forming the inner wall of 

 the loreal pit. Scales. — Ante- 



FiG. 29.— Lachesis monticola (nat. size), rior usually 23 (rarely 25) ; 

 midbody 23 (rarely 21 or 25) ; posterior 19 (rarely 21). 



Distribution. — The Himalayan region (from 2,000 to 8,000 feet), 

 including hills of Assam, Burmah and Yunnan. Colonel Wad- 

 dell, I.M.S., in his book " Among the Himalayas " (p. 240) 

 mentions it as common in Bhotan. I found it common in the 

 Khasi Hills (Shillong), and in the Eastern Himalayas (below 

 Darjeeling). 



Poison. — (See Part II, page 119.) 



Dimensions. — Grows to 8 feet. 



Colour. — Light brown or buff with large irregularly squarish 

 patches or spots of black on the middle of the back, and a coarse 

 mottling of these two hues in the flanks. Crown dark-brown with 

 a buff V-bordered dark-brown below. Belly yellowish, uniform 

 in front, obscurely spotted or mottled behind. 



LACHESIS CANTORrS-Cantor's Viper. 



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

 middle of the body numbering 29. 



