18 JOURNAL, NATURAL AIST. SOCIELY OF SIAM Vol. I. 
they bite fiercely, and although they always retain a certain amount 
of their shyness in captivity, do not attempt to bite afterwards. 
Those I have kept lived invariably upon a branch or bough placed in 
their cage, and seldom deseended to the earth. 
Food. Further observations on this point are wanted. Major 
Wall says he knew of a frog taken onee, and iizards ( Mabuau, 
(ulotes ) twice. 1 have found a small mouse in the stomach of one. 
At “the Ditehes” lizards of any kind are seldom met with. Frogs 
abound, except in the driest months. The undergrowth there is 
extremely thick for the greater part of the year, ‘aud during the 
December floods the whole place is usually under water. In cap- 
tivity mine refused all food. 
Length. The largest specimen [have sean measured 945 mm. 
in total length, the tail being 225 mm. 
Color (in life ). Above, baff, with four well defined dark 
brown stripes, each 14 scales wide and edged with black, passing 
down the entire length of the body and tail. The two median 
lines eommence at the internasal shields, the two outer pass 
through the eye and along the flank. Iu some specimens the 
inner margins of the median stripes become obliterated, and in a 
large female in my possession these bands are fused into a single 
broad one. Below, yellowish white, with a fine black line at the 
margins of the vential shields. Upper labials, whitish. The whole 
snake has a fine polished appearance, and the body is particularly 
solid and compact. Interstitial sk'n in life, is never visible, 
Habitat. India, Burma and Siam. 
(To be continued. ) 
