THE PBINCIPAL SPECIES OF POISONOUS SNAKES 



23 



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projecting supraciliaries, short snout, large eyes,, with round pupils, 

 two poison-fangs at the back of the upper maxillaries, and a 

 cylindrical body. The scales of the back are finely grooved, and 

 in the adult slightly concave. 



The coloration, olivaceous- 

 brown, or deep red on the 

 back, becomes on the ventral 

 surface pale yellow with brown 

 streaks, and from five to seven 

 longitudinal series of small 

 spots, which are blackish and 

 edged with yellow on the sides. 



The mean total length is 

 1,800 millimetres. The tail is 

 somewhat tapering, and about 

 350 millimetres long. 



The only European species 

 is Ccelopeltis monspesszdana, 

 which is met with pretty com- 

 monly in France, in the 

 neighbourhood of Montpellier, 

 and Nice, near Valencia in 

 Spain, and in Dalmatia. It 

 is likewise found throughout 

 North Africa, and in Asia 

 Minor. 



A second species, Ccelopeltis 

 moilensis, occurs in Southern 

 Tunis, Egypt, and Arabia. 



The European Viperin^ 

 belong exclusively to the Genus Vipbea, the principal zoological 

 characters of which are as follows : — 



Head distinct from the neck, covered with small scales, with or 

 without frontal and parietal shields ; eyes small", with vertically 



Fig. 20. — Maxillary, Mandible, and 

 Head op Ccelopeltis monsyessulana. 



