MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 57 



four to six bars. The lower plumage is whitish with bi-oken brown 

 cross bars or spots. The legs are feathered down to the feet, and the 

 toes covered with long bristles on the upper side. This owlet has no 

 so called " ears ", and must not be confused with the Scops Owl, which 

 is a quiet little owl and only utters a monotonous " toop " at reguhxr 

 intervals of about ten seconds. 



E. G. HERBERT. 



Januar//, 1914. 



No. IX, DISTRIBUTION OF ANCISTEODON RHODOSTROMA, 

 THE MALAYAN VIPER, IN SIAM. 



The only record of this snake in Siam up to the present has 

 been from the island of Paket. North of this latitude it had not been 

 known at ali. Recent collections have shown, however, that it has 

 a much wider distribution. It is not uncommon at Bangtaphaii, near 

 the sea coast, and Mr. P. A. R. Barron has found it at Nong Kai Ploi, 

 just E. of iSrimaharicha, elevation 150 metres, where it appears to be 

 equally plentiful. One was recently caught at Lopburi, and Dr. Sprater 

 procured last ^^ear a very young specimen at Kumpawapi, 250 km. 

 N. of Korat, Lat. 17° 10' N., Long. 102^ 50' E. It will thus be seen 

 to have a wide distribution in this country, and its northern range of 

 habitat greatl}- increased. 



Speaking of its poison, Boulenger says, *'This snake was long 

 known from Java only, where it is regarded as one of tiie most 

 dangerous poisonous snakes, cases being known of men dying five 

 minutes after being bitten. In the neighbourhood of Biserat and 

 Kuala Jalar ( Malay States ) where it was discovered by Messrs 

 Annandale and Robinson, the natives do not believe its bite to be 

 fatal." The people of Bangtaphan and Nong Kai Ploi, who appear 

 to know this snake quite well, also agree that its bite is not parti- 

 cularly dangerous, and as natives on the subject of snake-bite are apt 

 to exaggerate rather than otherwise, one is inclined to accept these 

 statements as correct. 



I have recently acquired 4 living specimens. They are ex- 

 tremely sluggish creatures, remaining motionless throughout the 

 entire day, usually coiled up in a circle with the head projecting from 

 the middle, and the body comfortably bedded down into the sand of 

 their cage. Even a stick will hardly rouse them, and wlien taken up 

 they move oflF in a leisurely fashion. At night they become nK»i-e 

 active and wander about. I have never yet heard them his.s, but 

 when thoroughly excited will " rattle " the tip of the tail at great 

 speed. Thej- feed freely upon mice, frogs and toads. 



