52 



THE POISONOUS SNAKES OF INDIA. 



It is found in the Eastern Ghats, Western Ghats, Nilgiris and other 

 hills in the Peninsula of India. It does not occur in the plains of 

 India, but affects an altitude of from 1,500 to 6,000 feet. East of 

 Calcutta it occurs in the plains and hills alike. 



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

 and constitutional disturbances are usually attendant. There is 

 abundant evidence to substantiate this assertion among Europeans 

 and natives alike (8ee illustrative case, Part II, page 122). 



Dimensions. — Grows to 3^ feet. 



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

 olivaceous or brown, sometimes obscurely streaked or barred with 

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

 whitish, plumbeous-greenish, uniform or indistinctly mottled. 



LACHESIS TRIGONOCEPHALUS-The Green Tic. 



Identification. — The supraocular shield divided, and the subocular 



touching the 3rd labial, if 

 found co-existing, serve to fix 

 its identity. 



Supplementary characters. — In- 

 ternasals. — A pair in contact 

 with one another. Supraocular 

 divided. Nasal not united 

 with 1st labial ; no small scales 

 intercalated between it and the 

 2nd labial. Subocular touches 

 the 3rd labial. 2nd labial with 

 a furrow in its upper part 

 directed into the loreal pit. 

 Scales. — Anterior, 17 or 1 9 ; 



midbody 17 or 19 ; posterior, 1-3 or 16. 



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

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

 Polonga. 



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

 he once had a Eurasian conductor bitten by a full-grown one in 



Fig. 35 — Lachesia trigonooeplialus 

 (nat. size). 



