KUNGL. SV. VET. AKADEMIENS HANDUNGAR. HAND 56- N<> 2- I .'{i! 



191 I l!H2 I visited fchese swamps in April, tlms before fche rea] rains bad se\ in, and al 

 fchis fcime I only observed a few specimens. 



In fche north of Siarn, where I was travelling during fche summer \'.d I, I several 

 (imes met with Pelicans on fche lake-like swamps al fche tieighbourhood of Chieng lin 

 and Chieng Sen, but I don t fchink fchey were breeding iip here as I never succeeded in 

 finding a nest, fchough t made a very careful lookout. 



r riiis species is generally not very shy when found in an inland swamp, bul along 

 fche coast they were absolutelv impossible (o get into range for a shotgun. 



Fain. Plotidae. 



276. Plotus melanogaster. Gm. The Snake-bird. 



Plotus melanogaster: Gyldenstolpe ] p. 71; Robinson & Kloss p. 1!>: Gairdner p. 152. 



<£ Noiig Meh Lua 7 /s 1914. L = 913 mm.; W = 337 mm.; T = 247 mm.; C = 85 mm. - - [rides: 

 brownish yellow. Bill: yellow isli gi - eeu (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 Siarn. Even along fche Meh Koke river and along some of the other rivers of 

 Northern Siarn it was also observed, though always in limited numbers. In the large 

 swamps of Central Siarn it was very common, but as far as I c an 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 

 ludden 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. Phalacrocoracidae. 



277. Phalacrocorax pygmeeus javanicus. Horsf. — The Little Cormorant. 



Phalacroeorax javanicus: Gylclenstolpe 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 Siarn. 



