THE SNAKES OF BANGKOK, ^95 



or saw no less than twelve in about an hour. Where these two species 

 live during the dry months 1 have not yet been able to discover, but 

 they disappear from this haunt after November and do not reappear 

 until the rains have again set in. 



Length, 2000 mm. ( Boulenger), but I have never seen any 

 ■specimen from Bangkok of such dimensions. A very lai'ge skiu in 

 my possession, however, which I think maj^ be undoubtedly referred 

 to this species, was recenth^ killed by Mr, Keddie in the valley of the 

 Meklong. It measured in life, 8 ft. ( 2440 mtn. ). The dried skin 

 '( of which a considerable portion of the tail is missing ) measures 

 2260 mm. 



Color (in life). Above, olive-brown, olive-green or olive-grey, 

 the scales on the posterior part of the body and teail, edged and 

 tipped with black. Below, rich j-ellow in the anterior part, fading to 

 pale 3'ellowish or whitish behind. 



Distrihutidn. From the E. Himalayas to S. China anl the 

 Malay Archipelago. 



17. Coluber radiatus, 



i^- _ 



Siamese, ^ y)!^ US V^JIQ (''(/^^ ^"^^i7 ^naprao). 

 ai 



" Tang maprao," meaning the mid-rib of the coconut palm 

 3eaf, refers to the broad black bands wiiich this snake bears upon its 

 sides. The name, however, is not confined to this species, but may be 

 •used to designate any species that has a conspicuous lateral stripe. 



It is not a common snake in Bangkok, although it is more 

 plentiful in the country districts outside. It prefers the open countr}'- 

 ■or the plantations and gardens adjacent thereto, although in search of 

 food it will enter human habitations. Its habits and disposition are 

 much like those of the Common Rat Snake. 



This snake possesses in a marked degree the power of expanding, 

 in a vertical direction, its throat and the anterior part of its bod\-. 

 The point is well brought out in the photograph, which shows also the 

 anenacing attitude adopted b}^ this creature when cornered, v.-ith the 

 fore-part of its body thrown into a series of loops and the mouth widely 

 ■agape, read}'- to dash at anj'thing. Under these conditions it is 

 extremely handsome, the jet black bars with which it is m irked at this 

 part showing up vividly against the pale fawn ot the rest of the body. 

 The illustration shown is of a fine specimen which v\-as caught crossing 



