ZOOLOGICAL COLLECTING IN SIAM IN 1931 AND 1932 x 



By HUGH M. SMITH 



Adviser and Expert in Fisheries to His Siamese Majesty's Government, and 



Associate in Zoology, U. S. National Museum 



As in previous years, the writer has taken every opportunity to ob- 

 tain zoological material for the National Museum. Early in 1931, 

 collecting was under way at Tha Chang (Elephant Crossing) and 

 Kao Lem (Sharp Mount), in a wild and rugged mountainous region 

 northeast of Bangkok abounding in large game such as deer, gaur, 

 banting, elephants, and tigers. During January and February collec- 

 tions were made at Bukit and Yala in Patani, the most southern 

 Siamese province. The bird life here is strongly Malayan. In April 

 a trip was made to a section of the Pran River accessible from Hua 

 Hin, the celebrated government-owned seaside resort, and a fair col- 

 lection of birds and small mammals was obtained. 



In April and May a visit was made to a wild mountain region lying 

 northeast of Chiengmai in northern Siam. The objective was a moun- 

 tain mass locally known as Doi Nangka. On the top of the highest 

 peak were observed gibbons, langurs, barking deer, serow, seladang, 

 several species of squirrels including a giant form, bamboo rats, porcu- 

 pines, black bears, and wild boars. Among the birds were a large horn- 

 bill with reddish-yellow belly, a giant white-bellied hornbill, a large 

 dull-colored pheasant, a silver pheasant, and a tree partridge. 



Visits were made to the coastal region comprising southeastern 

 Siam, and in August and September a week was spent on Koh Samet, 

 a forest-clad, hilly island, about 6.5 kilometers long, near the mainland. 

 In October the forested region east of Sriracha, southeastern Siam, 

 was visited, and collections were made at Hoophon (High Valley) 

 and Nong Yang (Dipterocarp Lake) about 50 kilometers inland. 



Koh Samui and Koh Pa-ngan are the largest members of a nu- 

 merous archipelago lying off the western shore of the Gulf of Siam. 

 Collections of land animals were made there in July and August. The 

 principal mammals are langurs, sambars and barking deer, wild boars, 

 squirrels, and palm civets. Conspicuous birds are hornbills, jungle 

 fowl, and imperial pigeons. 



In late September and early October collections were made in the 

 upper valley of the Tapi River, at Tha Lo, west of Bandon, Peninsu- 



1 Doctor Smith's account of his field-work in 1931 was received too late for 

 inclusion in the exploration pamphlet for that year ; it is therefore combined 

 with his account for 1932. — Ed. 



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