1899.] 



EBPTILES OF THE MALAY PENTNSULA AND 8IAM. 



683 



Ayuthia, 1 near Muok Lek in the Dong Phya Fai (elevation 

 900 feet), 1 at Pachim, 1 at Tahkamen, 1 at Kabin, 1 at Chantaboon, 

 and 3 at Alor Star, Kedah, which is the most southern point 

 where I have seen this variety. A little more to the south, at 

 Kulim and Penang, it seems to be entirely replaced by var. A. 



Description. 



Habits. Ghrysopelea ornata is the fiercest snake I have met. 

 Under circumstances when most snakes, harmless and poisonous 

 alike, would try to glide away quietly, this one will turn to attack 

 the person who disturbs it, and will attempt to resist capture to 

 the uttermost, striking and biting ferociously. I have not found 

 the slightest effect on myself from its bite, but it is supposed to 

 have a poisonous effect on the small animals on which it feeds, 

 and, so far as my observations go, its bite has the effect of 

 stupefying lizards to some extent (cf. Boulenger, Fauna Brit. 

 Ind., Eeptiles, pp. 223 and 277). 



Individuals I have at various times tried to keep in captivity 

 showed no signs of becoming tamer, and would always bite my 

 hand w^hen I put it in the vivarium, and being also an annoyance 

 to the other inmates of the cage, I have only kept them for a few 

 days at a time. One Chrysopelea bit itself so hard that its teeth 

 became fixed in the side of its body. 



This snake is diurnal in its habits, and may be seen moving about 

 in the hottest midday sunshine. I remember only once seeing one 

 on the ground, where it was moving from among some bushes to 

 another clump. ITsually it frequents trees, and about seven times 



