VARIATION OF THE PIT-VIPER. 



165 



Schlegel (Phys. serp. (1837) pp. 532, 535, 537) recognises three 

 species : — 1. Trigonocephalus jararaca, from Sao Paulo, Sta, 

 Catharina I., Sta. Cruz de la, Sierra : 172-204 v., 44-62 c. From 

 the description, this snake is the true Jararaca of Wied. 

 2. T. atrox: 190, 196 v., 60, 68 c. Scales surmounted by a strong 

 keel with tubercular tendency, in which respect it does not agree 

 with the Linnean type specimen. Habitat N. Brazil, Dutch and 

 French Guianas. 3. T. lanceolatus : 271, 220 v., 60, 60 c. Mar- 

 tinique and St. Lucia. Scales surmounted by a simple keel. 

 Colour of ventrals a clear greenish yellow. The description 

 corresponds to the type-specimen of L. atrox as described by 

 Andersson. Schlegel maintains that T. lanceolatus has a higher 

 number of ventrals.- than the two preceding, but the number 271 

 is probably due to some mistake. 



Dumeril and Bibron (Erp. Gen. (1854) pp. 1505, 1507, 1509) 

 describe three species : — Bothrops atrox, B. lanceolatus, B. jararaca. 

 The only differentiation made between the first two in the 

 " Tableau Synoptique des Especes du Genre Bothrops " (p. 1504), is 

 that the ventrals of B. atrox are spotted, and those of B. lanceo- 

 latus unicoloured. In describing B. atrox, however, they mention 

 that the scales are more strongly keeled. B. jararaca is distin- 

 guished from the preceding by a relatively obtuse can thus rostralis 

 and larger scales on the snout. The description corresponds with 

 that of the Jararaca of Wied. 



B. atrox. 29-32 scales. Habitat Dutch and French Guianas. 



B. lanceolatus. 271, 240, 220 v., 68, 64, 60 c; from Marti- 

 nique, Dominica, St. Lucia. 



B. jararaca. 172, 195, 204 v., 44, 62, 65 c. : from Sao Paulo, 

 Sta. Catharina I., never in Surinam. 



The number of ventrals given by Dumeril and Bibron do 

 not seem very reliable, and 271 for B. lanceolatus is probably 

 copied from Schlegel's statement, which there is good reason to 

 question. 



Jan, Icon. Oph. 47me livr. PI. i. : Bothrops lanceolatus (Merr.). 

 Antilles ? Geneva Museum. The specimen figured has 29 rows 

 of scales. Markings irregular, but similar to those of two spe- 

 cimens in the British Museum collection from Martinique (Cat. 

 Sn. p. 536, spec, r, s). — PI. ii. : B. atrox L., var. dims Jan, from 

 Buenos Ayres. Turin Museum. 25-27 rows of scales, with keels 

 similar to those figured for B. lanceolatus. The markings repre- 

 sented in fig. 3 nnn. are matched by two specimens in the 

 British Museum collection, from Sao Paulo (presented by 

 Dr. Brazil), and, as before mentioned, agreeing with those of the 

 Jararacussu of Lacerda,. — PI. ii. fig. 4 : var. tesselatus JNeuw. 

 Milan Museum. Another form of dorsal markings, similar to a 

 specimen in the British Museum collection, from St. Lucia, (Cat. 

 Sn. p. 536, spec. v). — PL iii. : B. jararaca Neuw. Freyburg 

 Museum. An excellent figure of the typical Jararaca ; 25 rows 

 of scales. 



