92 



OPHIDIAN EEPTILES. 



turning round to one side or the other with astonishing rapidity, 

 but never jiunping at its enemy or throwing itself backward, as 

 the Puff-adders are described to do. The Death-adder is found 

 in almost every part of Australia northward of the thirty-sixth 

 parallel of south latitude.] 



The Common Adder {Pelias berus), is not improbably the E;(is 

 of Aristotle, and the Vipera of Virgil, as it is the Manasso of the 

 Italians, the Adder of the country-people in England and Scotland, 

 and the Vipere of France. It is found in all these countries, and 

 in Europe generally. 



The Common Adder varies in length, from thirteen or fourteen 



Fig. 23.— The Common Adder (Pelias berus). 



inches to double that length ; and from two to three or even four 

 inches in girth. 



Its general colour varies considerably ; in some it is olive, in 

 others reddish -brown, varying sometimes to an ashy-grey ; at 

 other times it is greyish-black. A waving brown or blackish line 

 runs along the back. A row of unequal spots of the same colour 

 is observable on the flanks ; the belly is slate- coloured ; the head 

 nearly triangular, a little krger than the neck, obtuse and trun- 

 cated in front, and covered with granulated scales. Six small 

 plates cover the muzzle, two of which are perforated for the 

 nostrils, which are lateral, forming a blackish spot. Above is a 

 .sort of V shape, formed by two black bands. The upper jaw is a 



