FAUNA AND FLORA, RATBURI, PETCHABURL. 29 
tance, I cannot say ; if they do not, it would be interesting to find out 
whether they do drink, or find sufficient liquid in the fruits and leaves 
of the trees in which they live. Inland, the same species comes down 
daily to fresh water to bathe, and presumably to drink; and in 
captivity this Macaque drinks daily. This long-tailed olive-brown 
monkey is probably well known to all members, being the one most 
commonly seen in captivity. 
The mangrove and other trees growing in the tideway were 
during the day-time black with Fruit Bats (probably Pteropus edulis) 
—the largest colony I saw extending for 300 or 400 yards along the 
coast. These creatures get restless towards evening, and before dark 
are on their way to the fruit gardens several miles inland, around 
the town of Meklong. If disturbed during the day, they rise in a cloud 
and take some considerable time to settle down again in the same spot. 
The Whistling Teal ( Dendrocycna javanica ), associating in 
flocks of some thousands, lay idly on the open water and, having no gun 
with me, they never seemed less disposed to take alarm. As the tide 
receded, and the mud flats were exposed, waders and shore birds ap- 
peared in vast numbers, but I was unable to obtain or identify any of 
these. Stranded one day on the mud, I was much amused watching 
the numerous small crabs hurriedly feeding with their “hands,” from 
behind their one enormous claw, raised in an attitude of defence. This 
species has but the one nipper, which extends right across the body ; 
and he watches the enemy (all are apparently enemies) the while 
he tucks in from behind this defence, occasionally stopping for a 
second to remove an indigestible pellet of mud—also with his lesser 
left hand. 
To members interested in the Fauna of the tideway, I can 
recommend that corner of the Gulf which is quieter and more secluded 
than any other part of the Coast, nor are the mosquitoes troublesome 
during the month of March. 
THE Pappy PLAINS. 
In the years 1908 and 1909 my work lay chiefly in the populous 
paddy plains. North-east of Ratburi are found the wide plains 
with scarcely a tree in sight—jungle and gardens only occurring in 
isolated patches or on the higher ground of the river banks. With 
the exception of a few Fishing Cats ( Felis viverrina ), Palm Civets 
( Paradoxurus hermaphroditus ) and a species of Mongoose not yet 
