436 GAME WITH AREKA-NUTS. 



the exceeding rapidity of their motions, and 

 escape, on the slightest movement or noise being- 

 made, into their subterraneous dwellings in the 

 sand. The body and feet of the animal are 

 bluish black, with a few white marks across, and 

 the large claw is of a light or occasional darker 

 red colour. The natives call them Biong, po. 

 They are seen in great numbers about the pools, 

 but are not eaten by the natives. I procured 

 several specimens, which I preserved in spirits. 

 On being placed in strong rum, they survived 

 for the space of full three minutes ; and if more 

 than one was placed in the same bottle, they 

 would fight and pull the claws oflT each other in 

 their death agonies. 



Near the village, several boys were playing 

 a game with Areka-nuts, called Mein-achii, in 

 Rome degree reseml)ling our game at marbles. 

 Four nuts were piled up in form of a pyramid, 

 twelve such forming a row ; a nut was then 

 fillipped off with some degree of force against 

 tlie heaps, from a distance of about three yards. 

 If the thrower succeeds in destro3ang one of the 

 pyramids, he renews his throw at the others, 

 always at the distance where his nut remained, 

 until he misses, when the next player takes his 

 turn : the panic thus continuiiio- until all the 

 pyramids are thrown down. 



