38 VENOMOUS SNAKES AND THE PHENOMENA OF THEIR VENOMS 
with more or less distinct dark crossbands or speckles; black band from eye to 
corner of mouth; belly uniformly yellowish or spotted brown. Length about 6 feet. 
This is one of the most dreaded venomous reptiles in America, and estab- 
lishes itself everywhere — in swamps, plantations, forests, in the plains and in the 
hills. During the daytime it hides quietly, but is ready to cause death at any 
moment. Its motion is exceedingly rapid. It swims easily. The bite of the 
Fer de lance is extremely dangerous and causes numbers of deaths in Martinique, 
especially among the sugar-planters, or coffee-cultivators. 
Tropical America; Mexico, Martinique, St. Lucia, from Bequia Isle towards 
St. Vincent, Venezuela, Guiana, Rio de Janeiro. 
Lachesis mutus. “Bushmaster.” (Plate 17, A.) 
The “Surucucu” of the Brazilians is another large venomous snake of tropical 
America. Color yellow or rose on back with a series of rhomboid brown speckles 
or indented black speckles; a black band extends from eyes to corner of mouth. 
Length about 6 feet. Central America and the tropical zone of South America. 
Lachesis atrox. 
Laboria is another name for this snake. Resembles the Fer de lance, but the 
body is stouter, the head larger, with more vigorous poison fangs. Length of the 
fang may reach 3 inch. Color brown with crossbands or triangular speckles. Dark 
band from eye to corner of mouth. Belly whitish-yellow with brown spots. Length 
about 3.5 feet. Central America; from Peru to the north of Brazil. 
Lachesis pulcher. 
Color olive with brownish crossbands with white rim. Belly covered with fine 
confluent brown speckles. Length 2 feet. The Andes of Ecuador. 
Lachesis microphthalmus. 
Snout short and rounded, eyes very small. Length 2 feet. Peru and Ecuador. 
Lachesis pictus. 
Snout obliquely truncated. Length 1 foot. Peru. 
Lachesis alternatus. 
Head narrow and elongated. Length 3.5 feet. Southern Brazil, Paraguay, 
Uruguay, Argentine. 
~ Lachesis neuwiedii. 
The Bothrops urutu of the Brazilians has obtuse snout. Scales highly carinated, 
as in the foregoing species. Color yellowish or pale brown with brown speckles 
rimmed black; the dorsal speckles form a single or double series alternately; belly 
more or less powdered with brown. Length 2.5 feet. Brazil, Paraguay, Argentine. 
Lachesis ammodytoides. 
Turned-up snout. Color brownish with large white-rimmed black speckles, or 
zigzag alternative crossbands; belly yellowish with brown speckles. Length 1.6 
feet. Northeast of Chile and Argentine. 
Lachesis xanthogrammus. 
Length about 5 feet. Long snout. Ecuador and the Andes of Colombia. 
Lachesis castelnaudii. 
Length 3.5 feet. Long snout. Brazil, Ecuador, eastern Peru. 
Lachesis nummifer. 
Snout large and rounded; subcaudals mostly in one row. Length 2.8 feet. Mexico 
and Central America. 
Lachesis godmani. 
Snout large and rounded; subcaudals in one row. Length 2 feet. Guatemala. 
