444 



TRIANGULAR-HEADED SNAKE. 



the bottom for the passage of the tongue : upper 

 parts of the animal marked by large, oval, rufous 

 patches bordered with black ; and in the intervals^ 

 between the large patches are several much smaller 

 ones of a dusky colour : fangs very large : native 

 of Brasil. From the jaws of a poisonous serpent 

 from the same country, preserved in the royal ca- 

 binet, and agreeing in all particulars, except in 

 size, with those of the above species, the Count 

 de Cepede infers that the animal, at its full size, 

 may be supposed to arrive at the length of six 

 feet. 



If we compare the description of this species 

 with that of the Daboya, we shall find an ex- 

 treme resemblance between the two animals, the 

 Daboya only appearing to differ from the present 

 species in not being furnished with fangs. 



TRIANGULAR-HEADED SNAKE. 

 La Tete-Triangulaire. Cepede Serp. p. 132. pL 5.f. 2. 



Allied in general appearance to the common 

 Viper: colour greenish, with spots of different 

 shapes on the head and body, uniting so as to 

 form an irregular band down the back : abdomen 

 dusky, with white edges : head of a more triangu- 

 lar shape than usual, owing to the projecting ends 

 of the jaws, covered with small scales, which, as 

 well as those on the body, are smooth, or not ca- 

 rinated : total length two feet, of which the tail 



