488 TIPEEIDiE. 



Vipera euphratica, Martin, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1838, p. 82 ; Strawch, Schl. 



Buss. R. p. 221, pi. vi. (1873); Boettg. Ber. Senck. Ges. 1880, 



p. 267 ; Bedriaga, Bull. Soc. Nat. Mosc. Ivi. 1881, p. 315. 



echis ?, Schleg. in Wagn. Reis. Reg. Alg. iii. p. 131 (1841). 



Echidna mauritanica, Gaichen. Explor. Sc. Alg., Rept. p. 24, pi. iii. 



(1848) ; Dum. §• Bibr. vii. p. 1431 (1854). 

 Daboia xanthina, Gray, Cat. p. 24 (1849) ; GUnth. Proc. Zool. Soc, 



1864, p. 489 ; Tristram, Faun. ^- Flor. Palest, pi. xv. (1884). 

 Clotho ? mauritanica, Gray, I. c. p. 27. 

 Daboia euphratica, Gray, I. o. p. 116. 

 Vipera minuta, Eichw. Nouv. Mim. Soc. Nat. Mosc. ix. 1851, 



p. 438. 

 Bitis mauritanica, Oilnth. Cat. p. 268 (1868). 

 Vipera confluenta, Cupe, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1863. p. 229, fig. 



mauritanica, Strauch, Syn. Viper, p. 79 (1869). 



xantbina, F. MilU. Verh. Nat. Ges. Basel, vi. 1878, p. 700, pi. iii 



%. A ; Boettg. Sitzb. Ak. Berl. 1888, p. 180, and Zool. Jahrb. iii. 



1888, p. 947 ; Bedriaga, CR. Congr. Int. Zool. 1892, i. p. 239. 

 euphratica, var. mauritanica, Boettg. Abh. Senck. Ges. xiii. 1883, 



p. 105. 

 lebetina, var. deserti, Anders. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1892, p. 20, pi. i. 



figs. 6 & 7. 



Snout rounded and obtuse or subacuminate, usually -with, well- 

 marked cantbus ; vertical diameter of eye shorter than its distance 

 from the mouth in the adult. Eostral as deep as broad, a little 

 broader than deep, or slightly deeper than broad, reaching or nearly 

 reaching the upper surface of the snout and in contact ■with two or 

 three apical scales ; scales on upper surface of head small, sub- 

 imbricate, feebly or strongly keeled, rarely smooth on the forehead 

 and snout ; 7 to 12 longitudinal series of scales between the eyes 

 (supraoculars included) ; supraocular well developed or narrow, or 

 broken up into two or more small shields; 12 to 18 scales round 

 the eye ; two or three series of scales between the eye and the 

 labials, sometimes only a single scale between the eye and the 

 fourth labial ; nostril in a single nasal *, which is usually partially 

 fused with the naso-rostral ; a well-developed supranasal ; temporal 

 scales keeled ; 9 to 12 upper labials ; 4 or 5 lower labials in contact 

 with the chin-shields. Scales in 23 to 27 rows, strongl}' keeled, 

 outer row smooth or feebly keeled. Ventrals 147-177 in ^ , 162- 

 180 in $ ; anal entire; subcaudals 38-51 in ^, 29-48 iu ?. 

 Coloration varying to the same extent as in V. aspis. Grey or 

 pale brown above, with a dorsal series of large dark brown spots, 

 often edged with blackish, which maybe confluent into an undulous 

 band, or with small dark spots or cross-bars ; small dark lateral 

 spots and vertical bars ; a large A-shaped marking on the upper 

 surface of the head, and a /\-shaped one on the occiput, may 

 be present; a dark streak behind the eye to the angle of the 

 mouth, and usually a dark blotch or bar below the eye ; whitish 

 beneath, powdered with grey-brown, with or without dark brown 



* The nasal being often strongly hollowed out, the nostril may appear pierced 

 between three shields, as iu V. russellii. 



