84 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



I believe that other large hawk-like birds are used as omens. The 

 Brahminy Kite is popularly supposed in India to be the sacred Garuda, 

 the mythical bird, half eagle and half man, which, in Hindu mythology, 

 is the Valiana, or vehicle of Vishnu. Whenever Bengali children see 

 one of these birds they cry out : 



Let drinking vessels and cups be given to the Sliankar Chil (Brahminy 



Kite), 

 But let the Common Kite get a kick on its face. 



There is a kingfisher that lives in the jungle (Carcineutes melanops) 

 which is not a particularly lucky bird. If, when they are making a trap, 

 the Ibans hear the long, mournful whistle of the 'Membuas,' they 

 know that, although the trap will catch things, it will only be after an 

 interval of ten to fourteen days that they will have any luck. On other 

 occasions it is not unusual for them to catch little partridges, such as 

 Rollulus rouloul, directly they have set up the trap, but often, under 

 ordinary circumstances, it will be a day before they catch anything. 



The Kenyahs apparently dislike this bird, which they call ^asi,' as 

 it is not very favorable ; in fact, they would rather not see it. 



The white-crested hornbill (Berenicornis comatus), which has a 

 moderate-sized black-keeled casque on its beak and bare blue orbits and 

 throat, is an omen that is sought for by Kenyahs and Kayans, particu- 

 larly by the latter, when felling jungle for planting and when going on 

 the war-path. The Kenyahs use it slightly, and the Ibans not at 

 all; it is, in any case, an omen bird of secondary importance. 



The trogon, called by the Ibans Tapau' (Harpactes diardi), 

 is particularly useful to these people when hunting in the jungle for 

 deer, pigs, etc., as it is a sure sign that they will obtain something that 

 day ; the bird's note of 'Pau, pau, pau,' infuses fresh energy into them. 

 Supposing some Ibans were making a spring-trap (panjoh), the 

 moment one of them heard the cry of the 'Paupau' or 'Beragai' 

 (H. duvauceli) , he would at once snap oif or cut off a small twig with 

 a parang ; the small piece of wood then cut or broken off is used for the 

 release of the trap ; the man would at the same time remark to the bird, 

 *Here we are.' 



Other tribes such as the Kenyahs and Punans use Harpactes 

 diardi as an omen, but it is not an important one. H. duvauceli, on 

 the contrary, is of very considerable importance to the Kenyahs when 

 going on the war-path, it being one of the omens of which it is impera- 

 tive to obtain a sight or hearing. H. hasumha is employed indiffer- 

 ently with //. diardi. 



Lepocestes porphyromeJas is one of the most important of the omen 

 birds, as it makes two perfectly distinct notes, one of which is favorable 

 and the other unfavorable. On a rainy day it calls 'tok, tok, tok,' but 



