BOTANIC GARDENS MENAGERIE. 187 



its tail on the ground when annoyed, making a rattling sound, 

 apparently as a warning. Callophis gracilis. Also a poisonous 

 snake does the same. The specimen exhibited came from 

 Pahang. 



Naia tripudians. 



The black cobra a common snake in the gardens has often 

 been exhabited, but seldom lives long in captivity. Many 

 possibly were injured in capture. It does not feed very readi- 

 ly in captivity, but will eat mice and small birds, and frogs. Its 

 habit of spitting its venom into the eyes of people approaching 

 too near it makes it a dangerous animal to keep in a close wire 

 cage, and it seemed to suffer from heat in a glass box. 



N. bung arm. 



The Hamadryad. Small specimens caught in the gardens 

 were exhibited on several occasions. One was caught eating 

 a small python, and transferred to a cage but it refused to 

 continue its meal, and others obtained refused to feed though 

 snakes, eggs, mice, frogs and other food was offered. 



This snake is now apparently rare in Singapore, none 

 have been brought in for a long time. The last I saw was a 

 moderately large one brought in a box by two little Malay boys 

 who had caught it near the Barracks. They had no idea it was 

 a dangerous snake. 



Lachesis Wagleri. 



The green viper. This has often been exhibited being a 

 common and handsome snake, beautifully marked with black, 

 yellow, green and prussian blue. It lives well in captivity and 

 also breeds, producing 5 to 9 young at a time. As of course is 

 well known to most people, the young are born free and not 

 deposited in the form of eggs. The green viper eats rats of 

 quite large size, birds, lizards and frogs. There is always a 

 little difficulty in rearing young ones, as they require very 

 small lizards for their food which are difficult to catch but 

 some have been brought up. It is a quiet snake lying quite 

 still on a branch for hours together. On two occasions coolies 



R. A. Soc, No. 46, 1906. 



