90 Fauna Italica. 



it met with it in its haunts. This species is only seen in the south 

 of Italy, and has not been observed even in Lombardy. 



The Coluber leopardinus receives its appellation from the dis- 

 position and colours of the spots in its skin. It is the most beauti- 

 ful of the European serpents, and is extremely gentle in its nature. 

 The plate is well executed, and we believe it is the first time it has 

 been figured. The principal habitat is Dalmatia, and it was sup- 

 posed to be confined to that country, until Riccioli found it near 

 Otranto. The best and almost only specimens are at Vienna. It 

 is rather of large size, a moderate specimen measuring three feet four 

 inches. 



The Natrix torquata, our common hedge snake, is figured, with an 

 excellent representation of the head in a state of expansion which the 

 animal has the power of giving it. 



The Natrix viperina, a species which inhabits Sardinia, and the 

 South of France and Spain, has not yet been seen in Italy. It is 

 the Coluber viperinus of Latreille, and is of small size. 



The Coluber hippocrepis, which was described by Frederic Linneeus 

 as an American species, was brought from Sardinia to the late Pro- 

 fessor Bonelli of Turin, and by him described as new, and called Co- 

 luber sardus and C. diadema. The author believes it to be iden- 

 tical with a species brought from Algiers, and called by the French 

 C. diadema. It is common in Sardinia and in Florence, but has not 

 been seen in Italy. 



The section of Vipers is one of exceeding interest. The author sepa- 

 rates the sub-family of Viperina into six genera, two only being Euro- 

 pean. Vipera is separated from the Crotali, by the want of the fos- 

 sets behind the eyes, which distinguish that deadly group. 



The vipers are slow, their motions being almost exclusively hori- 

 zontal, owing to the formation of the vertebras, but they are capable 

 of raising the head quickly to strike or wound, and we apprehend it 

 is their principal mode of capturing their prey. They are unable to 

 dart or spring forward, like some of their congeners. We give a 

 specimen of the style in the description of this form. 



" Oltre le gia accennate sonovi altre condizioni comuni alle spe- 

 cie del genere Vipera, che meritano d'essere riferite piu alia distesa. 

 II capo e assai distinte dal tronco, di figura piriforme, depresso pos- 

 teriormente, qualche poco compresso verso il dinanzi ; di sopra e ap- 

 pena convesso, non vestito di scudetti, ma d'un vario numero di 

 squame picciole, ovate o ovate lanceolate, ottusa, irregolari nella for- 

 ma e nella disposizione, tutte convesse ; quelle collocate nel tratto 

 anteriore al vertice prive de carena, le restante segnate da una ca- 

 rena longitudinale risentita, talvolta alcune di quelle poste dietro al 



3 



