508 VIPERID^. 



8. ATHERIS. 



Chloroechis, Bonap. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1849, p. 145.— No proper 



definition. 

 Athens, Cope, Proc. Ac. Philad. 1862, p. 837 ; Peters, Mon. Berl. 



Ac. 1864, p. 642; Straueh, Syn. Viper, p. 123 (1869). 

 PoecUostolus, Oiinth. Ann. Sr Mag. N. H. (3) xi. 1863, p. 25. 

 Eehis, part., Jan, Elenco sist. Ofld^-^. 122 (1863^. 



Head very distinct from neck, covered above with imbricate 

 .scales ; eye large, with vertical pupil, usually separated from the 

 labials by smaU scales ; nostrils lateral. Body slightly compressed ; 

 scales keeled, with apical pits, laterals more or less oblique and 

 smaller than dorsals and than outer row ; ventrak rounded. Tail 

 moderate, prehensile ; subcaudals single. 



The supratemporal is very short and the quadrate long and 

 elender. 



Tropical Africa. 



Synopsis of the Species. 



I. No horn-like supraciliary scales. 



S-11 scales across the crown, from eye 



to eye ; 25-36 scales across the middle 



of the body 1. chlorechis, p. t508. 



7-8 scales across the crown; 15-25 



scales across the middle of the body. . 2. squamiger, p. 509. 



II. Several erect, horn-like supraciliary scales ; 9-10 scales across 

 the crown ; 25 scales across the middle of the body. 



3. ceratophorvbs, p. 510. 



1. Atheris cUorecMs. 



Vipera cHoroecMs, ScUeg. Versl. Ah. Amst. iii. 1855, p. 317. 

 Toxicoa chloroecliis, Cope, Proc. Ac. Philad. 1859, p. 341. 

 Vipera (Echis) chloroechis, Jan, Pev. 8f Mag. Zool. 1859, p. 512. 

 Ecnis chloroechis, /aw, Elenco, p. 122 (1863). 

 Atheris polylepis, Peters, Mon. Berl. Ac. 1864, p. 642 ; GUnth. Zool. 



Pec. 1864, p. 125. 

 chloroechis, Peters, I. c. p. 645; Straueh, Syn. Viper, p. 126 



(1869) ; F. Mull. Verh. Nat. Qes. Basel, vii. 1885, p. 696 ; Boettg. 



Ber. Senck. Oe-s. 1888, p. 93. 



Eostral at least twice as broad as deep; head-scales strongly 

 keeled, 9 to 11 across the crown from eye to eye ; 15 to 17 scales 

 round the eye ; one or two series of scales between the eye and the 

 labials ; nasal entire or semidivided ; 9 to 12 upper labials ; two pairs 

 of small ehin-shields, the anterior in contact with the first or first and 

 second lower labials ; gular scales keeled. Scales strongly keeled, 

 in 25-36 rows. Ventrals 154-165 ; anal entire ; subcaudals 53- 

 62. Green above, uniform or with small yellow spots ; uniform 

 yeUOwish or pale green beneath ; end of tail yellowish or blackish. , 



Total length 520 millim. ; tail 85. 



West Africa, from Liberia to the Ogowe. 



