Page:Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (IA journalofstrait121878roya).pdf/139



after my arrival in Singapore in May last I had the good fortune to make the acquaintance of Mr. Wm. Davidson, Curator of the "A. O. Hume" Museum at Simla and a naturalist of extensive information, who was here on visit. He was He was greatly interested in the prospects of our infant Museu m and in the course of several conversaith him, I mentioned my intention, when time permitted, of studying the Ophiology of the island and peninsula, offering as it does a tempting field to naturalists, inasmuch as as it appears to be is yet almost unworked. Amongst the encouraging remarks which he made was a careful injunction to keep a good look-out for any specimens of Günther's celebrated Hamadryad, the Ophiophagus Elaps, which had the reputation, not only of eating the formidable Cobra di Capello, but of being the fiercest Asiatic reptile known to exist; inasmuch as cases are on record of its having chased men for a distance of a mile or more, moderate-sized rivers even forming no impediment to its revengeful pursuit. I was therefore naturally led to make extensive enquiries both amongst the natives and those friends whom a similar interest in Natural History had led to study the occurrence and habits of our little known Ophidia, and these enquiries have been rewarded by a gratifying success. That I am not "telling a twice-told tale" in bringing this reptile to your notice may be shewn by a quotation from Dr. Oxley who compiled the best existing sketch of the Zoology of the island, and who says "Snakes are not numerous in Singapore, the most common is a dark cobra. I believe this, with a trigonocephalus, are the only well authenticated venomous species in the Island." Meanwhile a slight sketch of all that can be learned on the spot concerning the formidable reptile under notice may be of interest.

The Raffles Library, though fairly provided with popular works on Natural History does not of course pretend to furnish specialists with works bearing on the particular study in which they may be engaged; and I was fortunate in finding on its shelves even three works which gave me some information on the subject I had chosen for enquiry. Two of these—Figuier's "Reptiles and Birds" and Woods' "Reptiles" contain only