16 
THE THANATOPHIDIA OF INDIA. 
snake, and is viviparous ; it lives, according to Gunther, on 
Scolopendrce , for he says he has found only these in its stomach. 
The JEchis is very fierce and aggressive—it is always on the 
defensive—ready to attack; it throws itself into a double coil, 
the folds of which are in perpetual motion, and as they rub 
against each other, they make a loud rustling sound very like 
hissing. This sound is produced by the three or four outer 
rows of carinated scales, which are very prominent and point 
downwards at a different angle to the rest; their friction against 
each other causes the sound. This little Viper does not, I 
think, hiss at all. Its fangs are very long and mobile, 
like those of Daboia. Its eye has a peculiarly vicious 
appearance. 
I have never seen it in Bengal, nor am I certain that it is 
found there; but it is common in the North-West Provinces, 
Central Provinces, and Punjab, and generally in the South of 
India. Gunther says, “ it is common in many parts of the 
Peninsula of India—in the Anamallay Mountains, in the 
Carnatic, and the vicinity of Madras.” 
It is a small Viper; a specimen from the Indian Museum is 
22| inches in length, and about 3 in circumference, though no 
doubt it has somewhat shrunk by the action of the spirit. 
The generic description, according to Gunther, is as follows :— 
“ Head covered with keeled scales : a pair of very small 
frontals behind the rostral shield. Nostril small, round, directed 
upwards, situated in a large nasal shield, which is subdivided 
behind the nostril. Sides of the head covered with keeled 
scales, two series of which are between the eye and the low 
upper labials. Scales much imbricate, strongly keeled, in from 
twenty-five to twenty-nine series, those in the lateral series 
have their tips directed obliquely downwards.” With these 
they make the rustling sound. “ Sub-caudals one-rowed.” 
It is very active, and can dart a considerable distance—a 
foot or more—to strike its prey : it is by far the most active 
and aggressive poisonous snake I have seen. It is called about 
Delhi, “ Afae” or “ Afai,” an Arabic word, and vulgarly pro¬ 
nounced “ Hafae” by the uneducated natives. 
The specific description of Echis carinata given by Gunther is as 
follows:—“ Brown or brownish-grey, with a series of sub-quad¬ 
rangular or ovate whitish spots, edged with blackisli-brown ; a 
sub-semicircular whitish band on each side of each of the dorsal 
spots, enclosing a round dark-brown lateral spot. A pair of oblong 
brown, black-edged spots on the crown of the head, convergent 
anteriorly ; a brown spot below, and an oblique broad streak 
behind the eye. Belly whitish, with more or less numerous 
round brown specks. Ventrals 149-154 ; sub-caudals 21-26.” 
This definition accurately describes the individuals before me, 
a specimen from the Indian Museum, and also living specimens 
from Delhi, for which I am indebted to Major MacMahon, the 
Deputy Commissioner of that district. 
