THE PBINCIPAL SPECIES OF POISONOUS SNAKES 51 



Coloration brown, with black spots or transverse bands ; black, 

 light-edged band from the eye to the angle of the mouth ; belly- 

 dark brown, or more or less whitish. 



Total length, 590 miUimetres ; tail 90. 



Habitat: Himalayas (5,000 to 10,000 feet), especially in the 

 North-west ; Khasi Hills. 



This snake feeds chiefly on mice. 



A. rhodostoma. — Snout pointed, somewhat turned up at the 

 tip : 7 — 9 supralabial shields ; body scales in 21 rows ; 138 — 157 

 ventrals ; 34 — 54 subcaudal pairs. 



Coloration reddish, grey, or pale brown above, with large 

 angular, dark brown, black-edged spots arranged in pairs or alter- 

 nating. Vertebra] line almost black ; lips yellow, speckled with 

 brown ; brown, black-edged band, running from the eye to the 

 angle of the mouth. Belly yellowish, spotted with greyish-brown. 



Total length, 810 millimetres ; tail 90. 



Habitat : Java. . 



A. hypnale (fig. 31). — Snout more or less turned up, with 

 a hard, pointed end ; 7 — 8 supralabial shields ; body scales in 

 17 rows ; 125 — 155 ventrals ; 28 — 45 subcaudal pairs. 



Coloration very variable ; brown, yellowish, or greyish above, 

 sometimes with dark brown spots or transverse bands. Cheeks 

 brown, with a longitudinal, white, black-edged streak on each side 

 of the neck. Belly more or less speckled with dark brown. 



Total length, 480 millimetres ; tail 65. 



Habitat : Ceylon, and Western Ghats of India as far north as 

 Bombay. 



In Ceylon this snake is known as the Carawalla. It is much 

 dreaded, but its bite is not rapidly fatal. 



(!) Lachesis. 



This genus has many representatives in Asia and the New 

 "World. The American species are for the most part of larger 

 size and more focmidable. 



