THE SNAKES OF BANGKOK. 15 
meals. It is a good swimmer and is never found far away from water. 
It appears to be entirely diurnal in its habits. 
In disposition this snake is bold and aggressive, striking and 
biting fiercely when molested, and with its sharp teeth being able to 
inflict quite severe wounds, even through gloves. In captivity, how- 
ever, it quickly grows accustomed to being handled; and after a short 
time makes no attempt to injure one. 
Length. Up to 1200 mm. (4 feet), the tail forming one third 
or one quarter of the whcle. The largest Bangkok specimen | have 
seen measured, snout to vent, 960 mm., tail 240 mm. 
Color and markings. In coloration this species, which is 
widely spread over the Kast, shows great variation, so much so that if 
they were to be judged by their markings alone, they would be fre- 
quentiy considered as different species. Major Wall* in an article 
upon this snake endeavours to arrange them into ten different varieties. 
Many of these however merge so gradually into each other that it is 
impossible to draw any definite line between them. The following 
description apples to Bangkok, and as far as I am aware to the rest 
of Siam. 
Above, olive brown or green, with black spots arranged quin- 
euncially, those upon the sides being longer than the others, forming 
a series of short transverse bars. The spots vary considerably in 
different individuals. They may be so indistinct as to be almost 
absent, or so large as to almost obscure the ground color, or they may 
be linked together forming a network. Bright scarlet: markings ctten 
exist upon the sides. Beneath, whitish or yellowish, each ventral and 
subcaudal scale being edged with black. An oblique black streak 
below the eye, another behind it. A chevron-shaped mark, more or 
less apparent upon the neck. Interstitial skin usually arranged in 
black and yellow reticulations, the yellow often extending on to the 
adjacent, scales, 
Haliiad. India, Burmah and 8S. China to the Malay Peninsula 
and Archipelago. : 
10. Tropidonotus sub-ininiatus. 
Pe | 
Siamese. 9 ANUWAY (ngu khaw daang). | Quite as common as 
V 
Journal, Bombay Nat. Vist Society, Vol XVIT, No. 4. 
