CH. V.] 



Bamboo Rat-Trap. 



S7 



TRAP AS SET. 



long, a zingiberad, with riclily barred foliage (Alpinia 

 sp.), two or three species of gleichenia, and now and 

 then an inconspicuous epiphyte, orchid, or fern oc- 

 curred, to add variety to 

 our route. 



We were puzzled to- 

 day by seeing horizontal 

 bamboo-stems fixed in the 

 trees over our path, but 

 we eventually discovered 

 that they were intended 

 to serve as bridges or 

 paths to rats or other 

 animals, traps being set 

 to catch those who were 

 unwary enough to avail 

 themselves of the con- 

 venient crossing. 



A curious custom of 

 the Dusun is to entrap 

 and eat the common field 

 rats, wild cats, &c, of 

 the country. Beside all 

 the little paths through 

 the forest, near Kina Balu, 

 wooden rat-traps (seeFig.) 

 are set in the herbage 

 through which the animals 

 have made their tracks. 

 A form of this trap, 

 slightly modified, is hung 

 on the branches of trees 

 for the capture of squir- 

 rels, and other fruit-eating 



Point for pushing in the earth. 



BAMBOO RAT-TRAP, USED BY DUSUN, 

 N.W. BORNEO. 



a a, Pegs connected by rattan for set- 

 ting the trap ; b, catch, anything 

 touching this liberates the pegs, 

 and the bamboo forces c tightly 

 down on d, thus securing any 

 animal that has touched b. 



