Zoological Miscellany. 
47 
Synopsis of the species of Battle- Snakes, or Family of 
Crotalid^. By J. E. Gray, F.R.S., &c. 
Fam. CROTALIDiE. — Face with a large pit on each side, placed be- 
tween the eye and the nostril. The head large behind, crown flat, covered 
with scales or small shields (except Sepedon and Caudisona); the jaws 
weak, the upper with long fangs in front and no teeth. The belly covered 
with broad band-like shields: anal spurs none. — Venomous. 
This family consists of 10 genera and 30 species ; of which 6 genera and 
11 species are confined to America; 2 genera and 16 species to Asia and 
its islands; 1 genus is common to Asia and Africa ; 1 genus and 2 species 
are peculiar to Africa. Schlegel, in his work recently published, describes 
only 17 species, two or three of which I have not been able accurately to 
determine: and of the 30 species here noticed, 23 species are in the national 
collection. 
I. Head scaly, with small shields on the edge of the forehead and eyebrows : 
tail ending in a spine ; suhcaudal plates 2-rowed : cheeks scaly. 
a. Suhcaudal plates extending to the tip ; (Bothropina). 
I. Bothrops, Wagler. Craspedocephalus, Kuhl. Scales lanceolate, 
keeled : hinder labial shields largest. Confined to the New World. 
* Head with keeled scales, ivith 1, 2 or 3 minute shields between them; hinder 
nasal and front edge of suborbital pit with a small shield immediately 
under the nostril. 
1. Bothrops Megwra. Yellow-brown, dotted and clouded ; scales ovate- 
lanceolate. 
Inhabits South America. Brit. Mus. 
Head with rather thick smooth scales in front ; rest like ^ 
2. Bothrops subscutatus. Slate-coloured, paler beneath 
Inhabits Demerara; Capt Sabine. Brit. Mus. 
3. Bothrops Sabinii. Young, pale brown, with 4 series of brown 
spots ; back of head brown, with a dark streak to the gape, and beneath 
pale. 
Inhabits Demerara. Brit. Mus. 
Head with keeled scales, with 1 , 2 or 3 minute shields between them, but 
without any shield immediately under the nostril, it being edged beneath 
by a process of the anterior nasal shield. 
4. Bothrops cinereus. Pale brown, with dark subalternating cross bands; 
crown, nape and temporal streak dark brown : scales lanceolate. 
Inhabits America. Brit. Mus. 
