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Show 1893.] LITTLE-KNOWN EUROPEAN VIPER. 599 spine and is relieved by the pale olive-grey or yellowish colour of the dorsal area; the sides are darker, brown, with longitudinal series of small dark brown spots; head with the usual black markings; lips uniform yellowish ; lower parts black, spotted with white, or grey, spotted or chequered with black and white; tail but rarely tipped with yellow; throat yellowish white in both sexes. Herr L. von Kirchroth, of Mo'dling, who has collected large numbers of this Viper, kindly supplies m e with the following information respecting its occurrence near Vienna :- This Viper is distributed from Laxenburg westwards as far as the eastern slope of the Anninger Hills, southwards as far as Traiskirchen and Tribuswinkel. Its chief habitat is in the immediate vicinity of Laxenburg, where it is found in extraordinary numbers. The intendant of the Imperial Castle pavs a premium for the destruction of Vipers, and in the course of last year more than 1000 specimens were brought to him. These snakes are found principally, though not exclusively, in the marshy meadows around the park ; but few occur in the park itself. They feed chiefly on Lacerta agilis and also on mice. The largest male examined by Herr v. Kirchroth measured 410 millim., the largest female 450. EXPLANATION OF PLATE LI. Vipera ursinii, female, with enlarged upper and side views of head. 10. O n the Orthoptera of the Island of Grenada, W e s t Indies. By C. BRUNNER v. WATTENWYL.1 [Eeceived May 27, 1893.] (Plate LIL) [The Society published last year (P. Z. S. 1892, p. 196) a memoir by Hofrath C. Brunner v. Wattenwyl and Professor J. Redtenbacher on the Orthoptera of the island of St. Vincent which those distinguished entomologists had been so good as to prepare at the request of the Joint Committee appointed by the Royal Society and the British Association to investigate the Pauna and Flora of the West Indian Islands. I have now, on behalf of the same Committee, the pleasure of offering to the Society a paper by Herr Brunner v. Wattenwyl enumerating the Orthoptera of the neighbouring island of Grenada. Fifty-five species have been obtained there, nineteen of which were not met with in St. Vincent, eight of the number being described as new species. Of this order St. Vincent, on the other hand, possesses 62 species, 27 of which have not been found in Grenada. It would at first sight appear from these facts that there is a 1 [Communicated by D. SHARP, F.R.S., F.Z.S., on behalf of the Committee for investigating the Fauna and Flora of the West Indian Islands.] PROC. ZOOL. Soc.-1893, No. XLL 41 |
