BUFFALO 99 



the back of the houses. Several natives came on board at once, 

 in expectation of a feed ; none spoke English, but all under- 

 stood Malay. 



The patch of jungle about the village is rather small, and 

 to reach more necessitated a walk of some miles ; we succeeded, 

 however, in adding to our collection a diminutive serpent-eagle 

 {Spilornis viini)iius)^ and caught sight in the denser jungle of 

 a fresh variety of a little forest hawk. Specimens were also 

 obtained of a small bat which has since been named Pipis- 

 trellus aiDiortcc. 



The neighbourhood of the harbour has for long been frequented 

 by descendants of buffaloes, turned loose by the Danes when 

 they abandoned their settlement at Nankauri. Formerly it is 

 said that large herds were to be met with in the neighbour- 

 hood ; but we learnt, both from the inhabitants and from the 

 Port Register, that the animals are now becoming very scarce, 

 and only a few have recently been killed by visitors from the 

 station gunboat. 



I was out after them on two consecutive days. Both had 

 been preceded by nights of rain, through which tracking was 

 much facilitated. The country round is very undulating, often 

 broken by deep gullies, and covered here and there with small 

 patches of jungle, while everywhere are scattered pandanus 

 trees, either in clumps or singly. On both occasions I picked 

 up fresh tracks in the red clayey soil when some distance from 

 the vallage, and after following them for several miles lost them 

 in distant jungle. There seemed to be only two animals in 

 the neighbourhood — one very large indeed, and the other of 

 much smaller size. This decline in numbers is not due to the 

 natives, who, with their spears only, could cause little destruction, 

 and who evince no eagerness to pursue. 



Tracks of pig were innumerable, and every now and then 

 a bunch of little quail whirled away from beneath my feet. 

 Although out by 5 a.m., I was not early enough ; at three 

 o'clock on a moonlight night one would probably be more 

 fortunate. 



