THE 



JOUENAL 



OF THE 



Natural History Society of Siam 



March 1915. Vol. I. No. 8. 



> NOTES ON THE FAUNA AND FLORA 

 OF RATBURI AND PETCHABURI DISTRICTS. 



(Goniinued) 



^-»-^ 



By K. G. Gairdner. 



Mountains Entirely Clad in Evergreen Forest. 



Oates in his preface to "Tlie Birds of British Burmah'' speaks 

 of the interior of Teniiasserim bordering on Siam as being " ahnost 

 impracticable to a European." The Petchaburi hinterland was, until 

 four years ago, practically unknown both to Siamese and Europeans, 

 being deservedly unpopular both on account of its inaccessibility and 

 the deadly nature of the malaria only too easily contracted in tlie dark 

 chasm-like valleys. 



The boundary, or watershed is, however, probably more easily 

 approached from the Tennasserim side than from the Siamese, owing to 

 the fact of the Tennasserim riv^er flov/ing due South parallel to the 

 boundary for some 140 miles, and distant from it oidy some 7 to 15 

 miles. This river is, I believe, navigable by " dug outs" for the greater 

 part of its length. 



Expeditions in wild mountain country, practically uninl abited. 

 are entirely dependent on coolie labour for the transport of goods and 

 necessaries, and sipc*^ n, lie-^lHiy Lao coolie consumes 35 to 40 lbs of 

 rice pel- month (or the equivalent of one luairs lieavy load in such 



