SEA-SNAKES. 353 



it was a proper Teepye ; and they were from thence con- 

 vinced, that these fish are generated in this manner." 

 The Sultan, on this occasion, mentioned a fable they have 

 amongst them. " A monkey sitting very pensive on the 

 shore, with his arms crossed, as they often do, being 

 asked what was the matter, replied; 'He was consi- 

 dering how the Mangancy* are produced.' ' 



I have detected a species of Pinnotheres, hitherto un- 

 described (P. orientalis, Adams and White,) that inhabits 

 the large Avicula so common in these seas. 



The Sooloo Seas appear to be swarming with Sea- 

 snakes, perhaps on account of the calmness of the water, 

 and heat of the atmosphere here, which tend to produce 

 astonishing fecundity in the world of waters. Sea-snakes 

 always appear to prefer calms, swimming on the still sur- 

 face, in an undulating manner, never raising the head 

 much from the surface, or vaulting out of the water. 

 They dive with facility on the approach of danger, but 

 do not appear to be particularly timid. Their progression 

 is tolerably rapid. The Malays term them " Ular gerang." 

 The Pelamis bicolor is common all over the China and 

 Indian Seas. I have seen them in the Seas of Mindoro 

 and Sooloo, swimming by thousands on the top of the 

 water. They appear especially to delight in calms, and 

 are fond of eddies and tide-ways where the ripple collects 

 numerous fish and Medusae, which principally constitute 

 their prey. Their lungs resemble the air-bladders of 

 fishes more than the breathing organs of Reptilia, in 

 general being simple, elongated sacs, with blood-vessels 

 ramifying over their parietes, but having no cells. Their 

 * Mangancy, a kind of Pearl-oyster. 



VOL. II. 2 A 



