200 The Gardens of the Sun. [ch. x. 



laughing note : white padi birds, curlew, sandpipers, and 

 a crow, are also quite common ; eagles, ospreys, and 

 hawks also abound ; and I especially noticed an eagle or 

 harrier circling over the grassy plains, regularly hunting 

 the ground, and occasionally stooping as if to secure its 

 prey. This bird is pure white, with black wing tips and 

 tail. A water-rail was seen beside the river near the 

 town, and night-flying birds of the owl tribe were also 

 observed ; but the familiar " chuck-chuck " note of the 

 " night-jar," so common on moonlight nights in Labuan, 

 we never once heard here. I saw one large owl dead, 

 and much regret that I did not skin and preserve it, badly 

 as the thing was mutilated. It resembled our native 

 "barn owl" in general appearance and colour, but was 

 much larger, the spread of its soft fledged wings being 

 over four feet. I saw one species of hornbill on the hills 

 and a pheasant, which, from the momentary glimpse I 

 caught of it, I took to belong to the " fireback " species, 

 so common in some parts of Borneo. 



Deer are said to be plentiful ; but we did not catch a 

 glimpse of them, although when riding in the interior I 

 have often disturbed the wild pigs among the long-matted 

 grass near the river. An enormous species of day-flying 

 bat was quite common here near the Sultan's palace, and 

 most weird and supernatural did they appear on dull 

 days, solemnly flying from one tree to another, their great 

 wings distended against the leaden sky overhead. As 

 far as I could see they were feeding on the durian trees 

 which surround the Istana, and probably sipping the 

 nectar from the large white flowers. I shot one which 

 measured four feet six inches across its outspread wings, 

 and its head was as large as that of a little terrier dog, 

 and of a similar shape, being of a dark foxey brown 

 colour. Its eyes were of a sickly pale brown tint, with a 



