 Distinguishing by using scale diagrams whether a snake is venomous or not in the field cannot be done in the case of uncaught specimens.It is not advisable to catch a snake to check whether it is venomous or not using scale diagrams.Most books or websites provide an array of traits of the local herpetofauna, other than scale diagrams, which help to distinguish whether a snake in the field is venomous or not.