THE SXAKES OF BANGKOK. 177 



Subfamily. IIYBBOFJIIINJE. The Sea Snakes. 

 Siamese ^ VlSlC (nqit talai/). 



34. Enhydrina valakadien. 



35. Enhydris Hardwickii. 



Both the above species have been occasionally recorded from 

 Bangkok, having been caught in the river Menam. The trae Sea 

 Snakes are, however, strictly inhabitants of the salt water and their 

 occurrence here can only b; regarded as accidental, carried up proba- 

 bly upon some unusually heavy tide. 



As far as is known at ]iresent. all the Sea Snakes are extremely 

 poisonous. 



Subfamily. ELAPINJ^. 



36. BuDgarus fasciatus. Tlie Bcouh'd Kralf. 



tSntmese. ^ ^IJJ [€\hl\ {'"Jk- sum hem). 

 11 



The Siamese name refers to the marked triangular shape which 

 the body ot this snake has in section, and which is })rodueed chiefl}'' 

 b}' the ])ro:nint'nce ot the vertebral region. 



It is carious that Flower did not recortl this snake from 

 Bangkok, or indeed meet with it himself in anj^ part of the country. 

 Its vivid and striking coloration make it unusuall}' conspicuous, whilst 

 its sluggish movements render it an easy victim whenever encounter- 

 ed b\' man. Its strictly nocturnal habits have [jrobably saved it on 

 man}' occasions. 



The Banded Krait, whilst by no means common in Bangkok, 

 is not infrequently met with. It ])refers, I believe, the open countr}'', 

 but has been found in many parts ot the town. One of the finest 

 specimens I ever caiight, was in hiding beneath a box beside the 

 Chancery at the British Legation, whilst a young one was once sent 

 me, having been killed in the dining room of the mess at the Borneo 

 Company. In disposition it is an extremely quiet and inoffensive 

 creature, and I have never seen one attempt to bite, even under 

 strong provocation. Its strange behaviour and the attitude which it 

 often assumes when captured is well illustrated in the accompanying 

 photograph. Instead of endeavouring to escape, it throws its body 

 into a loose coil or two, and hides its head away beneath some part of 



