INTRODUCTION. 13 



and wishing to make the ascent more comfortable, I or- 

 dered a regular path to be made with steps of cross-sticks 

 and rattan ropes attached to the trees along it. 



About 100 meter below the summit the trees become 

 gradually lower and their trunks, as well as the large 

 boulders and rock- walls , are entirely covered with moss , 

 while the top itself is densely covered with shrubs, amongst 

 which I found very fine Rhododendrous covered with most 

 lovely bunches of red flowers. The brushwood was almost 

 entirely filled up with thick clusters of moss , through 

 which we had to force a passage by creeping along the 

 ground through a kind of tunnel, while innumerable 

 monkey-cups (the urn-shaped petioles of a large climbing 

 Nepenthes) poured their water down upon us. 



It was a real blessing, after having reached the top, to 

 enjoy the long needed magnificent sun-shine, while a light 

 breeze spread an agreeable coolness. The immense view we 

 enjoyed from this elevated spot, 1136 meter above the 

 level of the sea, was really wonderful, as it embraced the 

 whole basin of the Upper Kapoeas. A red-throated little 

 Humming-bird {AetJiopyga Temmincki) and numbers of buzz- 

 ing bees and bright-colored butterflies were flying from 

 flower to flower, and some Swiftlets (Co//oca/z'a) swept along 

 the almost perpendicular rock-walls which, on the north, 

 support the rather long but very narrow platform. After 

 spending a couple of hours on this sunny and lofty spot, 

 and enjoying the beautiful scenery , we left the summit 

 and returned to our damp forest-station. 



Although my collections increased considerably during 

 our stay at this mo untaiu -station , and all of us did their 

 very best to get the fauna represented as completely as 

 possible, I cannot say that many species were obtained in 

 this elevated region , which could not have been obtained 

 as well in the lower country. The result of my investiga- 

 tions on the Kenepai is that the mountain is not high 

 enough to yield such typical mountain forms as are found 

 in the higher regions of Kina Balu and the higher mount- 

 is otes from tJie Leyden IVEuseura, "Vol. 'XSLX.. 



