Read April 15, 1817.
The Viper which accompanies this paper does not appear to have been noticed by any British naturalist. It is probably Coluber Chersea of Linnæus.
Coluber Chersea. Linn. Syst. Nat. i. 377. 184. Gmel. iii. p, 1091. Fn. Suec. 285. Act. Stock. 1749. p. 246. t. 6. fig. 1. 2. Laur. Reptil. p. 97. n. 214. Weigel in Abh. der Hall. Naturf. Ges. i. p. 12.
"Habitat in Sueciæ præsertim Smolandiæ, Scaniæ, Uplandiæ, coryletis et fruticosis depressis, etiam in Pomeraniæ dumetis. Bero satis affinis, et citius funesta nisi pars morsa statim resecetur. 912 poll. longus.
"Bero minor, color obscurius spadiceus, caput ovatum, truncus teres."
Linnæus has described this species in the Swedish Transactions for the year 1749, and has given a figure which nearly resembles our specimen. The heart-shaped spot on the head is apparent. The belly is quite plain, and has not the appearance of steel observable in the common viper. Linnæus lays great stress on a dark spot near the extremity of the tail, as a distinguishing character of the species: this mark is very evident in the one under examination.
