v.] TRADE OF SANDAKAX. 101 



collections they lay twice only. The first three seasons always produce white 

 nests, the last only manas and itam (the medium and hlack qualities), but it 

 must be worked to insure a good harvest for the next coming Papas season. 



" By these means a larger quantity and a far finer quality of nests are 

 obtained than by dividing the year into two seasons only, when the birds are 

 allowed to add and add on to their old nests, — as they will invariably do, — 

 which rapidly deteriorate, becoming dirty and of low value. As the nests 

 are taken only when the eggs are laid, a danger of over-collecting might be 

 apprehended, but I am assured no such danger exists, as the birds carry on 

 the breed in nooks and crannies inaccessible to the collectors." 



The trade of Sandakan, as well as of the other ports of British 

 North Borneo, appears to be almost entirely in the hands of the 

 Chinese. The following figures represent the value of the exports 

 and imports of Elopura from 1881 to 1884 inclusive : — 



The sport to be obtamed in Xorth Borneo is not such as would 

 repay a visit. Elephant and rlmioceros are both to be found, as 

 are also the tapir and the Malayan Husa, but for many reasons the 

 sportsman's bag is not likely to be a heavy one. The elephant, as 

 far as is known, is confined to this, the north-east promontory of 

 the island, and is believed to have been introduced by man. It is 

 now chiefly to be found in the Darvel Bay district. Gaur are 

 said to exist, and there are, no doubt, great quantities of pig. But 

 it is worthy of note that two English oflicers, both of them well- 

 known sportsmen, who devoted four months to big-game shooting 

 in British North Borneo in 1883, returned to Hongkong entirely 

 unsuccessful. Game, no doubt, there is, but it is quite another 

 thing to shoot it. The climate is by no means a healthy one, and 

 there is considerable difficulty in obtaining transport and provisions. 

 There are no trained shikaris, for hunting does not seem to be 



