roportionate bulk and strength might well be supposed capable
of swallowing a beast of the size of a goat; and I have respectable
authority for the fact that the fawn of a kijang or roe was cut out of
the body of a very large snake killed at one of the southern settlements.
The poisonous kinds are distinguished by the epithet of ular bisa, among
which is the biludak or viper. The ular garang, or sea-snake, is coated
entirely with scales, both on the belly and tail, not differing from
those on the back, which are small and hexagonal; the colour is grey,
with here and there shades of brown. The head and about one-third of the
body from thence is the smallest part, and it increases in bulk towards
the tail, which resembles that of the eel. It has not any dog-fangs.

TORTOISE.

The tortoise, kura-kura, and turtle, katong, are both found in these
seas; the former valuable for its scales, and the latter as food; the
land-tortoise (Testudo graeca) is brought from the Seychelles Islands.

There is also an extensive variety of shellfish. The crayfish, udang laut
(Cancer homarus or ecrevisse-de-mer), is as large as the lobster, but
wants its biting claws. The small freshwater crayfish, the prawns and
shrimps (all named udang, with distinctive epithets), are in great
perfection.

The crab, kapiting and katam (cancer), is not equally fine, but exhibits
many extraordinary varieties.

The kima, or gigantic cockle (chama), has been already mentioned.

The oysters, tiram, are by no means so good as those of Europe. The
smaller kind are generally found adhering to the roots of the mangrove,
in the wash of the tide.

The mussel, kupang (mytilus), rimis (donax), kapang (Teredo navalis),
sea-egg, bulu babi (echinus), bia papeda (nautilus), ruma gorita
(argonauta), bia unam (murex), bia balang (cuprea), and many others may
be added to the list. The beauty of the madrepores and corallines, of
which the finest specimens are found in the recesses of the Bay of
Tappanuli, is not to be surpassed in any country. Of these a superb
collection is in the possession of Mr. John Griffiths, who has given, in
Volume 96 of the Philosophical Transactions, the Description of a rare
species of Worm-Shells, discovered at an island lying off the North-west
coast of Sumatra. In the same volume is also a Paper by Mr. Everard Home,
containing Observations on the Shell of the Sea Worm found on the Coast
of Sumatra, proving it to belong to a species of Tered