5. psBtri)0CEBA8TEs.-m6. cerastes. 501 



A», A-?. $ (So. 41; V. 132: 0. W.Africa. Zoological Society. 



21), hgr. (Sc. 39; V. 128; 0. 



16), & yg. (Sc. 85, 35 ; V. 125, 



132; 0.30,29). 

 m. Skeleton. Niger. J. W. Crosae, Esq. 



[P.]. 

 m. Skull of ^. 



5. PSEUDOCERASTES. 



Cerastes, part., Dum. 8r Bibr. Erp. Gin. vii. p. 1438 (1854). 

 Vipera, part., Jan, Menco sist. Ofld. p. 120 (1863) ; Strauch, Syn, 

 Viper, p. 21 (1869). 



Head very distinct from neck, covered with small imbricate scales ; 

 «ye small, with, vertical pupil, separated from the labials by small 

 Boales; nostrils directed upwards and outwards, pierced between 

 two small nasals, a large crescentic anterior and a small scale-like 

 posterior ; nasals separated from the rostral by small scales. Body 

 jEylindrical ; scales keeled, in 23-25 rows, the keels club-shaped and 

 not extending to the extremity of the scale; ventrals rounded. 

 Tail moderate ; subcaudals in two rows. 

 ■ Persia. 



1. Pseudocerastes persicus. 



P Vipera cerastes> Pall. Zoogr. Mosso-As. iii. p. 48 (1811). 



Cerastes persicus, Dum. Sr JBibr. vii. p. 1448, pi. Ixxviii. 6. fig. 5 



(1854) ; Blanf. Zool. E. Pers. p. 429 (1876). 

 Vipera persica, Jan, Rev. 8^ Mag. Zool. 1859, p. 153 : Strauch, Byn, 



Viper, p. 103, pi. ii. (1869), and 8oM. Muss. S. p. 225 (1873). 



Snout very short and broadly rounded. Upper head-scales small, 

 imbricate, keeled ; an erect horn-like tubercle above the eye, covered 

 with several imbricate scales ; 15 scales round the eye ; three 

 series of scales between the eye and the labials ; one series of scales 

 ■between the nasal and the rostral ; 13 upper labials ; four lower labials 

 in contact with the chin-shields. Scales strongly keeled, in 23 or 

 25 rows. Ventrals 151-156 ; anal entire ; subcaudals 43-49. 

 Crreyish or brownish above, with four series of large dark spots, the 

 two median sometimes confluent and forming cross-bars; a dark 

 streak on each side of the head from the eye to behind the gape ; 

 whitish beneath, dotted with dark, and with a lateral series of dark 

 ispots. 



Total length 890 millim.; tail 110. 

 • Persia. 



6. CERASTES. 



Aspia, part., Laur. Syn. Rapt. p. 105 (1768). 



Echidna (non Forst.), part., Me)-r. Tent. Syst. Amph. p. 150 (1820) ; 



Dum. ^ Bibr. Erp. &Sn. vii. p. 1420 (1854). 

 -Cerastes, part., Wagl. Syst. Amph. p. 178 (1880) ; Gray, Zool. 



Miscell. p. 70 (1842) ; Bum. ^ Bibr. t. c. p. 1438. 

 Vipera, part., Schleg. PJiys. Serp. ii. p. 578 (1837) ; Jan, Elenco sist. 



Ofld. p. 120 (1863) ; Strauch, Syn. Viper, p. 21 (1869). 

 Cerastes, Gray, Cat. Sn. p. 27 (1849) ; Bouleng. Trans. Zool, 8oe 



xiii. 1891, p. 154. 



