KUNGL. SV. VET. AKADEMIENS HANDLINGAR. BAND 56. N:0 2. 133 
1911—-1912 I visited these swamps in April, thus before the real rains had set in, and at 
this time I only observed a few specimens. 
In the north of Siam, where I was travelling during the summer 1914, I several 
times met with Pelicans on the lake-like swamps at the neighbourhood of Chieng Hai 
and Chieng Sen, but I don’t think they were breeding up here as I never succeeded in 
finding a nest, though I made a very careful lookout. 
This species is generally not very shy when found in an inland swamp, but along 
the coast they were absolutely impossible to get into range for a shotgun. 
Fam. Plotide. 
276. Plotus melanogaster. Gm. — The Snake-bird. 
Plotus melanogaster: Gyldenstolpe I p. 71; Robinson & Kloss p. 19; Gairdner p. 152. 
d& Nong Meh Lua 7/5 1914. I = 913 mm.; W = 337 mm.; T = 247 mm.; C = 85 mm. — Irides: 
brownish yellow. Bill: yellowish green (topside of upper mandible horn colour). Legs: brownish yellow. 
The Snake-bird was very common indeed at Nong Meh Lua. This Nong is a fairly 
large lake-like swamp situated a few miles south-west of the ruined town of Chieng Sen 
in Upper Siam. Even along the Meh Koke river and along some of the other rivers of 
Northern Siam it was also observed, though always in limited numbers. In the large 
swamps of Central Siam it was very common, but as far as I can remember, I never ob- 
served them along the coast of the Siamese Malaya. 
The Snake-bird is a very good swimmer and when it swims it keeps its body almost 
hidden under the water, only showing the head and a part of the long neck. 
It rests on the branches of dead trees where numbers of birds could be seen together. 
Like the Cormorants it keeps its wings expanded to the sides, now and then making some 
flapping movements with the wings. 
Fam. Phalacrocoracide. 
277. Phalacrocorax pygmeus javanicus. Horsr. — The Little Cormorant. 
Phalacrocorax javanicus: Gyldenstolpe I p. 71; Gairdner p. 152. 
On the swampy country south of the town of Ratburi the Little Cormorant was 
quite common and numbers of specimens were seen either perching on low branches or 
on the fishing stags in the numerous small canals which traverse the country in every 
direction. As I only passed these swamps by rail I did not procure a specimen and in no 
other parts of the country did I meet with a single specimen though it sometimes occurs 
along the small rivers and creeks of Northern Siam. 
