THE PBINCIPAL SPECIES OF POISONOUS SNAKES 29 



the vertex ; black streak behind the eyes ; ventral surface grey, 

 spotted with black and white; tip of the tail usually yellow or 

 with yellow spots. 



Total length, 550—610 millimetres ; tail 80—85. 



Habitat : Spain and Portugal. 



Vipera ammodytes. 



(Fig. 21, 3 and 4). 



Snout terniinated in front by a horny appendage covered with 

 10 — 20 small scales ; vertical diameter of the eyes less than the 

 distance separating them from the mouth ; upper surface of the 

 head covered with small, smooth, or feebly keeled scales, among 

 which an enlarged frontal and a pair of parietal shields are some- 

 times distinguishable ; 5 — 7 longitudinal series of scales between 

 the supraoculars ; 10 — 13 scales round the eyes ; two series between 

 the eyes and the labials ; nasal shield entire, separated from the 

 rostral by a naso-rostral. Body scales in 21 — 23 rows, strongly 

 keeled ; 138—162 ventrals ; 24—38 subcaudals. 



Coloration grey, brown, or reddish above, with a zigzag dorsal 

 band, usually spotted with white ; black streak behind the eyes ; 

 belly grey or violaceous ; end of the tail yellow, orange, or coral-red. 



Total length, 5.50—640 millimetres ; tail 70—80. 



Habitat : Southern Tyrol, Carinthia, Styria, Hungary, Danubian 

 principalities and kingdoms, Turkey. Does not pass beyond the 

 48th parallel of North Latitude. 



This viper loves very sunny places, and hillsides planted with 

 vines. It rarely hibernates. 



In districts in which it is plentiful, it is only necessary to light 

 a fire at night in order to attract this species in swarms ; this is 

 the best method of taking it. 



Its food consists of small rodents, lizards, and birds. 



