130 THE STORY OF BIRD-LIFE. 



easy matter to procure embryos or nestlings of 

 hornbills, for the natives are inordinately fond 

 of both as articles of diet; and, further, are always 

 anxious to secure the tail-feathers of the adults 

 to adorn their war-coats and hats. The native 

 method of catching the female during incubation 

 is ingenious, though decidedly brutal. The tree 

 is scaled, the resin-like substance is broken away^ 

 and the frightened bird flies from her nest up the 

 hollow trunk of the tree, but is ignominiously 

 brought down by means of a thorny stick (the 

 thorns point downwards), which is thrust after 

 and twisted about until a firm grip in her plumage 

 and flesh is obtained. The Dyaks, never very 

 faithful observers of nature, believe that the 

 female is shut up by the male, so that after 

 hatching out her eggs, she may die, the maggots 

 in her putrefying body affording food for the 

 young. One very curious habit of Buceros 

 rhinoceros^ which I have not hitherto seen noted, 

 is the rapid jumping up and down on a branch 

 with both feet together. This jumping motion 

 is imitated by the Kyans and Dyaks in their 

 dances, the figure being known to the Kyans as 

 * wan blingong.' " 



The reason for this strange incarceration is 

 perhaps traceable to the fact that it occurs 

 during the period of greatest helplessness : when 

 the bird is moulting, and it would seem incapable 

 of flight. Walled-in on every side, with only 

 a small aperture for the beak, she is securely 

 protected from enemies of all kinds — except 

 man. 



The bag enclosing the food brought by the 



