1S90.] Elliot on Birds from Northeast Borneo. 147 



a hill or knoll to break the monotony of swamp and tide-aflected 

 rivers. The latter are numerous, and the most of them short, being 

 brackish near or quite to their sources at high tide. Sandakan 

 Harbor receives about a dozen of these short streams, which flow 

 from the low lands lying to the south and west. The north side 

 of the harbor is bounded by bluffs, or rather a range of hills, 

 which run parallel with that side. At a point about ten miles 

 southeast of the mouth of Sandakan Harbor the Kinabatangan, 

 which is one of the largest rivers of the country, flows into the 

 sea. Near its mouth, as is also the case with the other rivers, 

 a growth of mangrove borders its channel, which at high tide it 

 over-flows for an indefinite distance. Next in ascending order 

 come the Nipa palms which extend for a few miles, being suc- 

 ceeded, as the country becomes a little higher, by the tropical 

 forest made up of a variety of trees, many of which bear fruit. 



In consequence of the seasons not being well marked, fruits are 

 ripening in every mouth of the year. 



The view one gets from a boat in ascending the Kinabatangan 

 River gives an impression that the forest stands on high ground, 

 and extends back indefinitely, but usually it is found that at a 

 distance of a few hundred yards it gives place to boggy swamps 

 containing scattering, stunted trees, vines, and various kinds of 

 thorny growths. This is especially the case with the lower por- 

 tion of the river. 



The birds in this collection were taken among the range of 

 hills just back of Sandakan Harbor, on Bahala Island, at the 

 mouth of the harbor, and up the Kinabatangan, Suanlamba, and 

 Sapagaya Rivers. 



In these regions bird life may be said to be abundant, except in 

 the mangrove districts where it might be expected that Herons 

 or other water birds would have been found breeding, but not a 

 single rookery was observed, an occasional Heron, Darter, or 

 Kingfisher being the only birds noticed. 



Early in the day mammals and birds are very active, but from 

 eleven until three in the afternoon the heat induces them to retire to 

 some dense shade where the hottest part of the day is passed. 



As another consequence of the seasons not being well marked, 

 the moulting of birds is very irregular, and of one species of 

 Hornbill {Buceros galcatus) not a single specimen was taken 

 during the seven or eight months of collecting that was in good 

 plumage. — C. F. A.] 



