FER-DE-LAXCE. 79 



on the ground. A rudiment of the curious caudal appendage of 

 the American Kattlesnakes is found as a simple spine-like scale in 

 the Asiatic species, constituting the genus Flahjs. 



Some have the head covered with scales, having small shields 

 on the edge of the forehead and brows ; the cheeks are scaly, and 

 the tail ends in a spiue. Of these, the American genus Craspe- 

 docephalus and the Asiatic geuus Trimercsuras have the sub-caudal 

 plates two-rowed to the tip. 



The genus Craspedocephalus comprises the terrible Fer-de-lance 

 of certain islands in the West Indies, which occurs on the main- 

 land of South America, where four other species are recognised 

 — cue of them being found as far north as Mexico.] 



The Fer-de-lance (C. lanceolatm) is met with in Martinique, 



Fig. 19. — Fer-de-lance {^Trujonorjrpkahi mycaliE). 



Santa Lucia, and in the little island of Eoquin, near St. Vincent. 

 It attains to a length of nearly six feet ; its colour is not always 

 yellow, sometimes it is greyish, and even marbled with brown • the 



