TEE SNAKES OF BANGKOK. 99 



arlult. Below, bright coral-red upon a white ground, and with 

 rectangular black spots laterally placed. They are most thickly 

 distributed on the posterior part of the body, but vary considerably 

 in number and may be almost entirely absent. Head with the 

 characteristic family markings, but differing slightly from S. ci/clurui? 

 (vide illustration^. Interstitial skin over the vertebral region, light 

 yellow. 



Length. The largest specimen I have seen measured i/o mm. 

 in length, the tail forming 60 mm. This, however, is an unusual length, 

 and specimens over 400 mm. are rare. 



Another distinct form of this snake exists in Bangkok, to which 

 Mr. Boulenger has now accorded the title of Moulioti, in memory of 

 the famous French naturalist and traveller who discovered it. It is 

 most easily distinguished from the preceding one by the presence of 

 two black splotches upon the tail above, one at the base and another 

 near the tip. For the full differential diagnosis of these two, the reader 

 is referred to page 70 of this Journal. 



Distribution. Siam and Indo-China. 



Subfamil}^ HOMALOPSIN.^.— The Fresh-water 

 Snakes. 



Siamese, ^ IJC^l (7igu via). 

 II 



Bangkok, as might be expected from its low-lying position, is 

 rich in fresh-water snakes. Out of some 15 species now known 

 from this region ( Burma and Indo-China to the Malay Peninsula ), no 

 less than 9 liavti been found here. The}'' are not all strictly confined to 

 fresh water localities, some of them being found along the sea coast, 

 although never far from the mouths of rivers. Fresh-water snakes (the 

 term is used as opposed to sea-snakes ) in Bangkok are mostly in evid- 

 ence at the end of the rains and during the early floods of the dry weather. 

 The whole country at this time being more or less covered with water, 

 they are able to make their way into the multitude of small ponds and 

 ditches from which at other times of the year they are cut off. During 

 the dry months they retire to the river and main canals and are much 

 less often met with. The majority are of a sluggish disposition and 

 are easily caught. On land their movements are clumsy. As far as 

 is known at present, all of them are viviparous. 



