VIPERINE GROUP. 
243 
The Bushmaster. 
the whole, while admitting that fear has probably some share in the matter, it 
seems better to suspend our judgment before definitely committing ourselves to 
any one particular view. That rattle-snakes are some of the most deadly of all 
venomous serpents may be freely admitted; and it seems that we must almost 
concede that they possess the mysterious power of “ fascinating ” their victims 
before striking. Moreover, the assertions as to the power possessed by vipers of 
swallowing their young are equally numerous and well-authenticated in the case of 
the serpents under consideration. 
The formidable South American snake (Lachesis muta) known 
to the Dutch settlers of Guiana as the bushmaster, but by the 
Brazilians termed the surukulcu, differs from the rattle-snakes by the presence 
of a distinct keel-like ridge down the back, and, in place of a rattle, having the 
under surface of the tip of the tail covered with from ten to twelve transverse 
rows of small, spiny, sharp scales, while the extremity terminates in a spine. 
This snake attains a length of from 9 to 12 feet, and has the ground-colour of the 
upper-parts reddish yellow, upon which is a longitudinal row of large blackish 
brown lozenges, each having two light spots on either side of the middle line; while 
the under-parts are yellowish white, with a porcellanous glaze. The large size and 
enormous poison-fangs of the bushmaster render it one of the most formidable 
of the pit-vipers; its bite being apparently fatal to human beings in a few hours. 
Fortunately it is far from common, and inhabits only the secluded portions of the 
primeval forest, where it lies coiled up on the ground. Unlike most snakes, when 
disturbed it makes no attempt to flee, but strikes with the rapidity of lightning at 
the disturber of its slumbers. 
These snakes have the upper surface of most, or all, of the front 
of the head covered with large shields; the body is rather long 
and clothed with from seventeen to twenty-seven rows of keeled scales; and 
the very short tail has its lower shields arranged in either a double or single series, 
some species having a small spine at the extremity, which is regarded as a 
rudimentary rattle. The genus is common to Asia and North and Central 
America; some half-score of species being known, two of which are found in India. 
One species ranges as far east as the Urals, where it just enters the confines of 
Europe. I 11 habits they are all terrestrial. 
Himalayan Of the Indian species, in both of which at least the majority of 
Haiys. the shields on the lower surface of the tail are arranged in two rows, 
the Himalayan haiys (Ancistroclon himalayanus ) is distinguished by having two 
pairs of large shields on the muzzle, the extremity of which is but little turned 
upwards. In colour it is brown, with black spots or transverse bands, while some¬ 
times a light festooned stripe runs down the back; from the eye to the angle of 
the mouth runs a black streak edged with white; and the under-parts are either 
dark brown, or variegated with black and white. This snake, which grows to 
nearly a yard in length, is abundant in the North-Western Himalaya, at elevations 
of between five thousand and eight thousand feet, although it sometimes ascends 
considerably higher. The carawila ( A. hypnale), of Ceylon and Western India, is 
a much smaller species, not exceeding 20 inches in length, and characterised by the 
extremity of the upturned muzzle being covered with small scales. 
Haiys Vipers. 
