THE SNAKES OF BANGKOK. 99 
adult. Below, bright coral-red upon a white ground, and with 
rectangular black spots laterally placed. They are most thickly 
distributed on the posterior part of the body, but vary considerably 
in number and may be almost entirely absent. Head with the 
characteristic family markings, but differing slightiy from 8S, eyclurus 
(vide illustration). Interstitial skin over the vertebral region, light 
yellow. 
Length. The largest specimen I have seen measured 475 mm. 
in length, the tail forming 60 mm. This, however, isan unusual length, 
and specimens over 400 mm. are rare. 
Another distinct form of this snake exists in Bangkok, to which 
Mr. Boulenger has now accorded the title of Mowhoti, in memory of 
the famous French naturalist and traveller who discovered it. It is 
most easily distinguished from the preceding one by the presence of 
two black splotches upon the tail above, one at the base and another 
near the tip. For the full differential diagnosis of these two, the reader 
is referred to page 70 of this Journal. 
Distribution. Siam and Indo-China. 
Subfamily HOMALOPSINA).—The Fresh-water 
Snakes. 
Siamese, 2 a1 (ngu pla). 
i 
Bangkok, as might be expected from its low-lying position, is 
rich in fresh-water snakes. Out of some 15 species now known 
from this region ( Burma and Indo-China to the Malay Peninsula ), no 
less than 9 have been found here. They are not all strictly confined to 
fresh water localities, some of them being found along the sea coast, 
although never far from the mouths of rivers. Fresh-water snakes (the 
term is used as opposed to sea-snakes ) in Bangkok are mostly in evid- 
ence at the end of the rains and during the early floods of the dry weather. 
The whole country at this time being more or less covered with water, 
they are able to make their way into the multitude of small ponds and 
ditches from which at other times of the year they are cut off. During 
the dry months they retire to the river and main canals and are much 
less often met with. The majority are of a sluggish disposition and 
are easily caught. On land their movements are clumsy. As far as 
is known at present, all of them are viviparous. 
