THE HABITS OF MALAY REPTILES. 201 
peninsula are nearly always inky black, further north they are 
seen a brown one in Singapore, nor a 
black one in Penang or Province Wellesley. They appear to be 
much smaller than the Indian form, a specimen over five feet long 
being unusual. When annoyed the Cobra sits up in the well- 
manner, and makes a very curious "шк noise, holding 
its mouth open in the form of a circle, and every now and then 
trix, v . 
One struck me all over the face at a distance of eight feet, and 
a student of snakes, who was not aware of this habit in our local 
variety, was struck in the eye by one he was examining ; the 
saliva, which produces only a slight irritation of the skin of the 
face, causing some amount of inflammation in the eye. which 
did not subside for some hours. Ih also seen a dog struck 
in the eye by the saliva, while attacking a cobra, much to his 
iier Bb cornered and defending himself, the cobra 
very quick in turning the raised part of the body, which it 
м forward for a pai dicatis distance, to deter its enemy, 
but if left alone, re away as quickly as it can, taking refuge 
under а log, orin a hole, It is nocturnal in its habits, remaining 
in its hole all day, pora disturbed. It generally feeds on mice 
and toads, but I once found one eating a small snake ( E 
thodon). In captivity it is quiet, and usually gentle. 
The Hamadryad ( Naia bungarus or Ophiophagus elaps), though 
not an exceedingly common snake, is proba ably better known by 
sara to residents than any other. It is the biggest of all 
r poisonous are attaining a length of 13 feet, and is pro- 
pittotately stout. In colour it is usually a pale brown, without 
any markings, and as it does not sit up so often as the cobra 
does, when in anger, and the large poison glands, so conspicu- 
ous in many venomous snakes, are not very clearly visible, it is 
1 е 
large жеры on its blunt head, and when irritated, its erect atti- 
tude and expanded hood easily distinguish it. t is commonly 
Puis to be very aggressive and to pursue people who irritate 
have never seen this myself, and it certainly requires fur- 
ther rproof. As is well known, it feeds, generally at least, on other 
snakes, and I have caught one in the act of swallowing a small 
