Snout is tapering, but blunt, eyes small with a vertical pupil.

Differs from Asp Viper in lacking an obvious upturned snout and always has several large scales on top of head and has a low number of dorsal scales.

Differs from Adder in smaller adult size, has a narrower head with a more tapering snout and in several features in head scaling. Dorsals are wavy in cross-section, have a distinct keel and are often rather short so dark skin between them is visible.

Body is rather stout, has a flat (not upturned) snout (but van be sometimes mildly upturned).

A big, intimidating snake usually uniformed in colour with rather stiff slender body and narrow characteristically shaped head: eyes are very large and " eye-brows " raised and overhanging, which extend forwards onto snout as two strong ridges with a hollow between them which give the snake a very penetrating expression.

Montpelliers have a large gland on each side of the snout, beneath the skin between the nostril and the eye.

A particularly damaging one of these three was not a cartoon at all but a faxed photograph of a bearded man wearing a fake pig ' s snout held on with elastic.