Due to the current conflict in South Vietnam and the great number of American service men stationed in that country, it seems probable that a field guide to the Vietnamese species of snakes might prove useful to those in the field and particularly to members of the medical corps who might be faced with the task of judging the seriousness of a case of snake bite. It is further hoped that this work will stimulate an interest in the ophidian fauna of Vietnam, most of which is poorly known, and encourage those in the field to collect specimens for American museums.