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Show 590 MR. G. A. BOULENGER O N A [June 20, 9. On a little-known European Viper, Vipera ursinii, Bonap. By G. A. BOULENGER, F.Z.S. [Received June 16, 1893.] (Plate LI.) About a year ago I received from my friend Dr. F. Werner, of Vienna, a remarkable Viper from Laxenburg, which differed very considerably from Vipera berus in its smaller eye, the small number of rows of scales and of ventral and caudal shields, the shape of the head, and the coloration. I requested m y esteemed correspondent to procure further specimens from the same locality, and he was so kind as to send m e five more, which showed clearly that the differences by which I was struck were not individual. Quite recently I received from Hr. Henkel, of Vienna, numerous specimens from Laxenburg, which removed all m y doubts as to the specific distinction of this form from V. berus. Almost at the same time the number of the ' Zoologischer Anzeiger' for M a y 29th came into m y hands, containing the description of it by Prof, von Mehely as a new variety of V. berus, from Rakos, on the left bank of the Danube, near Budapest, which he names var. rakosiensis. This name I therefore at once adopted, regarding the snake, however, as a distinct species, not as a variety1. In fact Prof, von Mehely seems to m e to singularly underrate the taxonomic value of its characters in placing it as a variety between the typical form and the var. pr ester, which is merely a melanism of the former. It is true, however, that he appears to have overlooked two of the most important characters of the new form, viz. the small eye and the low number of ventral shields, although he draws attention to the number and shape of the dorsal scales. I will now proceed to the description of this remarkable Viper, which should be called VIPERA URSINII. Pelias chersea vel ursinii, Bonap. Icon. Faun. Ital. (1835). Pelias berus, part., Bonap. Amph. Eur., M e m . Ace. Tor. (2) ii. 1839, p. 440. Pelias berus, var. ursinii, Cope, Proc. Ac. Philad. 1859, p. 342. 1 On searching through the literature I soon after became convinced of the identity of (his V. rakosiensis with the " Marasso alpino" of Bonaparte, a species described from young specimens obtained by Signor Orsini in the Abruzzi, near the province Ascoli. I a m confirmed in this conclusion by m y friend Count Peracca, who has very kindly examined at m y request the two specimens from the Gran Sasso preserved in the Museum of the University of Turin, and mentioned by Camerano under F. berus. These, he informs me, have the eye very small, 19 rows of scales, 124 and 128 ventrals, 30 and 28 subcaudals. Bonaparte's specimens, one of which is preserved in the Museum of the Academy of Philadelphia, are stated to have 18 scales, 124-126 ventrals, and 28-30 subcaudals.-July 27, 1893. |