TO LOWER SIAM. 47 



usually to be found coiled up on branches overhanging streams, 

 especially in mangrove swamps. It is a harmless snake, but 

 much resembles in appearance the venomous and vicious 

 Bunqarus fasciatus which haunts similar places. Dipsado- 

 morphus is a very quiet and docile animal- , Many years ago 

 a party, of whom I was one, went to Serangoon in order to 

 help to catch some of these snakes for a gentleman who 

 had a fancy for taming them. We caughi eight of them in 

 the afternoon and could have caught more, noosing them 

 with a slip knot on a long stick on the branches of the man- 

 groves. If the would-be captor missed at first to put the 

 noose over its head, the snake was very clever at dodging it 

 the second time, and generally escaped, taking to the water 

 and concealing itself in a hole in the mud or under a root. 

 They were put into a bag, where they remained quiet, and in 

 a surprisingly short time became tame enough to handle 

 and did not attempt to escape or bite. 



We returned about mid-day and spent the remainder of 

 the day in packing up in order to start next morning for Setul. 

 On the 10th, we drove to Tebing Tinggi about 7 o'clock and 

 the little steamer Unpeng having arrived at 8, left at 9-25. 

 The river winds somewhat abruptly till the range of lime- 

 stone bills which runs down to Tebing Tinggi is passed. The 

 main range ceases at this point, being broken up into more 

 isolated blocks to the South between which the river flows. 

 After passing the range we came to a flat sandy and muddy 

 plain on which was a large village, and so out into the 

 shallow sea which is clearly silting up. Many curlews and 

 other mud haunting birds were flying over the mud flats. 

 The course by which alone the steamer can get to the Setul 

 river mouth is very sinuous, and is marked out by stakes. 

 It is impossible to enter either river except on a high or rising 

 tide, so that the steamer has to adopt its voyages to the tides 

 ani frequently has to wait a long time before crossing the bar. 

 It is clear that the whole of this area is silting up towards the 

 Lankawi islands just as the Kanga district of Perlis has already 

 done. 



R. A. Sec, No. 59, 1911. 



