nji;-J H. C. Robinson: Birds-from Pulau Langkawi. ijl 



elsewhere we were unfortunate in finding most species out of 

 flower. 



Dayang Bunting. A small island forming part of the 

 Langkawi group, mainly, though possibly not entirely, of 

 limestone, which in several places attains the quality of marble, 

 white and even in grain, almost saccharine, resembling that 

 found at Lenggong in Upper Perak and decidedly superior 

 to that of the tpoh Quarries. The island is (]uite uninhabited 

 and covered with jungle and is nearly everywhere steep-to, 

 though several deep indentations and the heads of bays are 

 filled with mangrove. 



The chief point of interest in the island is the fresh 

 water lake which at two places approaches to within a few 

 yards of the shore and is separated from it by a narrow 

 rocky rim of no very great height so that the surface of 

 the lake is probably only a few feet above the level of the 

 sea. In shape it is a long oval 5-600 yards across by 1,100 

 or 1,200 yards long and is about 4J-5 fathoms deep close 

 to the shore, deepening to 8 in the centre and nowhere 

 exceeding Si, the depths being fairly regular. The bottom 

 is in places rock but mostly mud. There seems to be only one 

 species of fish in the lake and no fresh water sponges were 

 found round the edges or on twigs and logs afloat in the lake. 

 There is good anchorage near the island at the head of a 

 fiord leading to 1I1 : besl approach to the lake, which however 

 is much encumbered with coral knobs at its head. Fresh 

 water escapes freely through the sand and rocks of the shore 

 and large quantities of excellent quality can be obtained at 

 all seasons by the use of a hose. 



With the exception of mousedeer most of the mammals 

 occurring on the main island of Langkawi occur on this one 

 also; no fruit bats were seen ami other species were scarce. 



Land birds were exceedingly scarce, the only common 

 species being Cyomis sumatrensis. There were not many 

 insects about and the few butterflies obtained were of no 

 special interest. \ Cicada was heard and sand-flies were 

 only too common. 



We did not actually see any biawak (Varanus sp.) though 

 they must occur. Four species of Draco were very common 

 and we secured one young Calotes versicolor and three species 

 of skinks. We also collected three species of frogs of which 

 one was very common at the edge of the lake. 



At a considerably higher level than the large lake, the 

 Dyaks came across another pool, much smaller and largely 

 choked witli dead and fallen timber. The natives are aware 

 of its existence and state that in the dry season it contains 

 no water at all. 



In addition to the zoological collections about 60 species 

 of plant- | seem to be < *l no vi 1 



interest. Few of the rock plants were in flower. Orchids 



