VIPERA (ECHIDNA) ATROPOIDES.— Smith. 
Reptilia. — Plate LIII. 
V. capite, dorso, lateribusque purpureo-griseis ; eapite strigis duabus longitudinalibus variatis; dorse 
maculis nigro-brunneis in sericbus duabus notatis; lateribus, maculis, lineis nigro-brunneis maculisque 
albis variegatis ; abdomine nigro-viridi, flavo-sparso ; capite depresso suboyato ; naribus prope ocu os. 
Colour.— The upper surface of the head, the back, and the sides inter- 
mediate between brownish purple-red and lilac-purple, the first variegated 
with two longitudinal stripes of light umber-brown, the back with two rows 
of spots of the same colour, some semicircular, others somewhat quadran- 
gular, each spot edged inferiorly with a broad whitish blotch ; sides mottled 
with irregular pale liver- brown blotches, a more or less zig-zag liver-brown 
line and many irregular whitish spots. Sides ot the head the same colour as 
the back, variegated with two oblique stripes proceeding from the hinder 
edge of the eye to the angle of the mouth, the hindermost liver-brown, the 
other which adjoins it nearly pure white. Under surface of head straw- 
yellow ; the abdomen and under surface ot the tail light blackish green, 
freckled with yellow. 
Form, &c. — Figure rather robust; body very thick at the middle, slightly 
tapered towards the head and the tail ; the latter is short, very slender, and 
pointed. Head depressed, broad, subovate, and behind considerably wider 
than the neck ; temples convex, as are also the upper lips and sides of the 
head under the eyes ; the latter are prominent, of moderate size, situated 
rather near to each other, and the eyebrows over them slightly projected above 
the level of the upper surface of the head. Nostrils small, circular, nearer 
to the eyes than the tip of the nose, and without a distinct ring around the 
opening, the latter is directed outwards and slightly backwards. Scales of 
the upper surface of the head towards the nose subcircular, elsewhere ovate, 
and in both situations carinated ; scales of the back and sides ovate, those 
towards the abdominal plates largest, on the back and upper two-thirds of 
sides strongly carinated, on the lower third slightly. Plates of abdomen 
