102 JOUBNAL, NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY OF SIAM. Vol. I. 



by those working in the saw-mills, owing to its fondness for sheltering 

 in the large holes that are found in the interior of teak logs. Here, 

 where it can lie undisturbed, hall-submerged, and in almost complete 

 darkness, it no doubt finds an ideal retreat during the hours of day- 

 light. In captivity it quickly becomes tame. Its food consists of 

 frogs and fish. Flower credits it with more intelligence than most 

 snakes and writes tliat the ones he kept could distinguish him from 

 strangers. A female in my possession recently gave birth (Aug. 7th) 

 to 9 young ones. Tliey were extremely lively and strongly resented 

 my handling them They were born in the water and were thorough- 

 ly at home in it, but the mother sought the land as soon as her 

 operaoicns were completed. 



Length. The largest specimen I have seen was a female, Avhich 

 measured 1310 mm., the tail forming 275 mm. Length of the young- 

 just born, taken from the above brood, 325-360 mm. 



Color (in life). Above, dark brown or plum-colored, the color 

 ending abruptly on ths sides, and with pale, yellowish, dark-edged 

 ci'oss-bars, alternately complete and incomplete. Sides yellow, fading 

 to pale yellowish or white upon the ventrals, which have a series of 

 black dots, placed laterally. Under surface of tail thickly covered 

 with black. Head brown, with ill-defined markings, the most pronounc- 

 ed being a pale wing-shaped mark on the occiput, a dark V on the snout 

 and a dark band passing backwards from in front of the eye. 



In the young the ground color above is quite black, and the 

 markings are white and clearly defined. In the old ones the}' become 

 indistinct and may be almost absent, so that the dorsum presents an 

 almost uniform brown color. 



Bistribidion. From Burma and Indc-China to the Malay 

 Archipelago. 



27. Cerberus rhynchops. 



I know of a single specimen which was canght at Samrae. It 

 is an inhabitant of river mouths and the adjoining sea coasts. I have 

 also examined specimens from the sea coast at Bangtaphan and from 

 the Inland Sea at Singgora. I do not know of any other records of 

 this snake from Siam. 



DistriUUion. From India r.nd Indo-China to the Malay Ar- 

 chipelago. 



