16 JOrUKA I, KATUFAL HIST. SOCIETY OF SIAM. Vol. I. 



the preceding, but more nn inhabitant of gardens and garden 

 land. Very similar also in habits but less aggressive. This snake 

 has to a marked extent the power of flattening its body, which it 

 does when caught or excited in any way. It feeds chiefly upon 

 frogs and in captivity quickly beccnies tame. 



Leitijih. Up to lUiX) mm. 



Color ( in life ). Above, brown, uniform or with small black 

 spots arranged across the vertebral line in pairs, or connected form- 

 ing short cross-bars. Head, olive green, with a black streak below 

 the eye. For about 5 centimetres upon the neck there is a patch 

 of bright veruiillion. The iuterstitial skin of this snake is extreme- 

 ly handsome, being arranged for the most part in a network pattern 

 with the meshes alternately black and yellow. This sliows up 

 strongly when the snake expands its body. The young have an 

 olive-grey head, with a black patch across the nape and a yellow 

 collar behind it. Identification is easy, in life, the red colour upon 

 the neck serving to distinguish it at once. In spirit this mark 

 disnppears very rapidly. 



IFahitdt. Eastern Himalayas, Burma and S. China to the 

 .Malay Archipelago. 



1 1 . Tropidonotu? stohrtus. 



Not previously recorded from Bangkok. Dr. Robert has a 

 specimen which is said to have bfen eaufjht here. This little snake 

 lias a wide distribution in the Kast and is possibly more common in 

 the North of Siam. 



12. Iit/codon aulicus. 



Not very common. Found generally in the neighbourhood of 

 houses and often inside them, hiding itself away during the daytime 

 in any available liole or crevice, it is a good climber and appears 

 to prefer the roof to the tioor. In disposition it is an active, 

 excitable creature and has a most vicious temper, striking and biting 

 freely whenever caught, but being quite unable, on account of its 

 small size to do any damage. 



Food, ('hieliy geckoes, but also other spt^cies of lizards. 



l.eiKjili. Boulenger in his Faini'i of the Mala;/ JViuitsula gives 

 the total length as 510 mm. Wall states that they glow up to 750 

 mm. in length, but remarks that specimens over G(i() imn are rave. 



