code: public boolean writeListBegin(int length, String type)
          throws IOException
      {
          os.write('V');
  
          if (type != null) {
              os.write('t');
              printLenString(type);
          }
  
          if (length >= 0) {
              os.write('l');
              os.write(length >> 24);
              os.write(length >> 16);
              os.write(length >> 8);
              os.write(length);
          }
  
          return true;
      }
docs: Writes the list header to the stream.  List writers will call
  <code>writeListBegin</code> followed by the list contents and then
  call <code>writeListEnd</code>.
  
  <code><pre>
  V
  t b16 b8 type
  l b32 b24 b16 b8
  </pre></code>