ANIMISTIC BELIEFS 59 



may have his own small fire, and will murmur some 

 part at least of the usual formulas. After seeing 

 " Isit " on their left, they like to see him again on 

 their right side. 



Next in importance to the spider-hunters are 

 the three varieties of the trogan {Harpactes Diardi, 

 H. Duvauceliiy and H. kasumba). They like to 

 hear the trogan calling quietly while he sits on a 

 tree to their left ; but if he is on their right, the 

 omen is only a little less favourable.^ On hearing 

 the trogan's cry, they own it, as they say, by 

 shouting to it and by stopping to light a fire just as 

 in the case of '* I sit." 



Kieng, the woodpecker [Lepocestes porphyromelas), 

 has two notes, one of which is of good, the other of 

 bad omen. If they have secured good omens from 

 the birds already mentioned, they will then try to 

 avoid hearing Kieng, lest he should utter the note of 

 evil omen ; so they sing and talk and rattle their 

 paddles on the sides of the boat. 



Other omen-birds of less importance are Asi 

 {Carcineutes melanops), whose note warns them of 

 difficulties in their path, and Ukang (Sasia abnormis), 

 whose note means good luck for them. Telajan, 

 the crested rain-bird {Platylophus coronatus)^ an- 

 nounces good luck by its call and warns of serious 

 difficulties also. 



Kong, the hornbill (Anorrhinus comatus), gives 

 omens of minor importance by his strange deep cry. 

 The handsome feathers of another species of 

 hornbill {Buceros rhinoceros), with bold bars of black 

 and white, are worn on war-coats and stuck in the 

 war-caps by men who are tried warriors, but may 

 not be worn by mere youths. The substance of the 



^ ** It was only a few birds which could give auguries among the Romans. 

 They were divided into two classes : Oscines, those which gave auguries by 

 singing or their voice ; and Alites, those which gave auguries by their flight. " 

 "There were considerable varieties of omen according to the note of the 

 Oscines or the place from which they uttered the note ; and similarly among 

 the Alites, according to the nature of their flight." 



