72 PAGAN TRIBES OF BORNEO chap. 



restrictions with regard to deer and cattle more 

 strictly than other people, and she will not touch or 

 allow to be brought near her any article of leather 

 or horn. 



The war-coats of the men are often made of the 

 skin of goats or deer, and any man may wear such 

 a war-coat. But when a man has a young son, he 

 is particularly careful to avoid contact with any part 

 of a deer, lest through such contact he should 

 transmit to his son in any degree the timidity of 

 the deer. On one occasion when we had killed a 

 deer, a Kenyah chief resolutely refused to allow its 

 skin to be carried in his boat, alleging the above 

 reason. 



The cry or bark of the deer (Ceruulus muntjac) 

 is a warning of danger, and the seeing or hearing of 

 the mouse-deer or plandok {Tragulas napu) has a 

 like significance. 



The Tiger-Cat 



The only large species of the Felidce that occurs 

 in Borneo is the tiger-cat {Felis nebulosa), Kenyahs 

 will not eat it, as men of some tribes do, but will 

 kill it ; and they fashion its handsome spotted skin 

 into war-coats. Such coats are worn only by men 

 who have been on the war-path. The canine teeth 

 of the tiger-cat are much prized as ornaments ; they 

 are worn thrust through holes in the upper part of 

 the shell of the ear, but only by full-grown men. 

 Kuleh, the name of this beast, is sometimes given 

 to a boy. 



The true tiger does not now occur in Borneo, and 

 it is doubtful whether it ever was a native of the 

 island. Nevertheless the Kenyahs know it by name 

 {Linjau) and by reputation, and a few skins are in 

 the possession of chiefs. No ordinary man, but only 

 a distinguished and elderly chief, will venture to 



