608 ME. STAKLEY S. FLOV.VER OX THE [MaV 16, 



adaptable to changed circumstanoes of life, are apparently 

 disappearing. 



Very much remains to be done to complete our knowledge of 

 the Agamoid lizards of the Malay Peninsula and Siam. Draco 

 volans, Calotes cristatdlus, and Calotes versicolor abound in certain 

 localities and are well known; but the remaining 17 species have 

 only been met with on a few occasions, which, considering their 

 diurnal habits, striking appearance, and frequently brilliant 

 coloration, seems remarkable. 



Poisonous Snakes. — Of the 221 species of Reptiles in this list, 

 34 are poisonous snakes ; but of these 18 (H'l/drojjhiince) inhabit 

 the sea, 4 {Callophis and BoUopJiis), owing to their sluggish habits 

 and small mouths, can hardly be considered dangerous to mankind, 

 and 5 (Lach.esis), so far as is known, are not capable of inflicting a 

 sufficiently poisonous wound to kill a huujaii being. The Vipers 

 Vipera russeUi and Ancistrodon hJomliojJi, although recorded from 

 Siam, are not known to occur in the . Peninsula. The Krait, 

 Bungarus candiduif, and its allies B. fascratus and B. Jlaviceps ere 

 fortunately rare. Thus only two dangerous species remain which 

 the traveller is likely to come across, viz., the Cobra (Naia tripa- 

 dians) and the Hamadryad {Naia hungarus)^ a proportion which 

 (from what 1 have read) compares favourably with other tropical 

 countries. Personally 1 have never come across a Hamadryad wild, 

 but a large Cobra is certainly a difficult and dangerous animal to kill 

 (except with a gun) owing to its strength and power of springing 

 at one ^. 



Assistance, received. — 1 have to acknowledge my sense of obliga- 

 tion to the Government otficials of the Straits Settlements and the 

 iSative States of the Malay Peninsula for their invariable courtesy, 

 assistance, and hospitality ; more especially am I indebted to 

 ll.H. the Eajah Muda of Kedah, to Lt.-Col. R. Frowd Walker, 

 C.M.G., commanding the Malay States Guides, to Mr. J. P. Rodger, 

 British Resident, Selangor, to the Datu Meldrum, the Datu Hole, 

 and Dr. J. P. A. Wilson of Johore. To the curators of the local 

 Museums, Mr. L. Wray, jun., Mr. A. L. Butler, and particularly 

 Dr. Hanitsch, I am much obliged for kindness in allowing me 

 access at all times to the collections under their charge ; and to 

 Mr. H. N. Ridley, Director of the Botanical Gardens, Singapore, 

 ■and to Mr. C. Curtis, Penang Govt. Gardens, for assistance in 

 collecting ; as also to the following gentlemen in »Siam — Mr. J. 

 McCarthy, Director of Surveys, Mr. W. Sinclair, Mr. A. J. Dickson, 

 Mr. Austen Shea, Mr. J. S. Smyth, and Mr. N. K. Passmore. 

 But above all I have to thank Mr. G. A. Boulenger, F.R.S., for 

 'the invaluable ad\ice and assistance he has given me by correspon- 

 .dence during the last two years. 



Nomemdature. — The classification and nomenclature are according 

 to Mr. Boulenger's British Museum Catalogues of Reptiles, where 



' Hence possibly the " Ular terbang," or Flying Snake, of the Malays. A 

 Maclrassee servant, who was with me for some years, often warned me to be 

 careful with Cobras, because they could " fly, same like bird" ! 



