186 BOTANIC GARDENS MENAGERIE. 



jerked it from its hold it fell and as it did so struck him with 

 its sharp claws on the ankle, cutting an artery from which he 

 nearly bled to death. The Biawak eats meat, fish, frogs, rats, 

 etc., when given a rat it shakes it violently like a dog, and then 

 crushes the body from head to tail in its jaws till all the bones 

 are broken when it swallows it whole, head first, when defend- 

 ing itself it slashes about with its long wiry tail, inflicting sharp 

 blows. In captivity the animal constantly pushes its nose 

 against the wire netting so that after being in confinement for 

 some time most of them have the skin of the nose rubbed 

 away. It much enjoys lying in a water tank, though it does 

 very well without one. This animal lays its eggs in holes of 

 no great depth in sandy places. I have seen quite a number 

 so engaged. 



Ophidil 



Though many kinds of the smaller snakes are abundant 

 in Singapore and often caught in or near the gardens, few have 

 been kept for any length of time in the aviaries, on account 

 of the absence of a proper house for them. Glass boxes such 

 as are used in most menageries are very hot, unless put in a 

 properly cool house, and feeding these small snakes requires 

 a supply of frogs and mice which would entail an extra cooly 

 to catch them. Some of them have been kept for a short time 

 after capture and later sent to the Museum or given away to 

 collectors. 



The following were on view from time to time. 



Dipsadomorxrtius dendropliilus . 



D. Cynodon. 



Chrysopelaea omata. 



Dryophis prasina. 



Bungarus fasciatus. 



This poisonous snake was kept for some time. It is very 

 handsome with its black and yellow rings, but very vicious 

 readily striking at any one. It has a habit of rapidly beating 



Jour. Straits Branch 



