204 THE HABITS OF MALAY REPTILES. 
seen it from Blakang Mati. 
wo other vipers, L. sumatranus and L. monticola, are also 
reported from Singapore and Penang, but they appear to be 
very rare here. 
here can be no doubt that snakes are much scarcer in Singa- 
pore than formerly, and this is no doubt due to clearing of 
much of the jungle, and especially the constant burning of the 
Lalang, but still a great variety remain her , and some kinds 
are still remarkably abundant, and those by no means always of 
the smaller kinds. 
It is rather interesting to observe the behaviour of various 
animals at the sight of snakes. Common monkeys are usually 
very excited, crowding together to look at it, and chattering 
loudly, The Mias, who usually inhabits trees taller than snakes 
nerable portion was its face. The Water Mungoose, Zerpestes 
‚ bristles up its fur and 
E ome deer, when a large py- 
thon was brought past their paddock, though at some distance, 
S 
