IN LIGHTER VEIN, . 525 
certain mammal that swarmed, but only up a certain river, by others that it 
was very very sparsely distributed all over the district except up the same 
river where it had never been known. I remember asking about flying 
foxes, and the time of year during which they occurred in X was disputed 
hotly by various men and there seemed at least half a dozen opinions as to 
the months. However, as one long-headed gentleman said ‘‘ Good Lord, 
fancy, here’s this man been sent all this way to shoot flying foxes by people 
in Bombay. Ha! Ha! by Jove, it is rich.” I was glad to see however he 
was sufficiently observant to have noticed the occurrence of this animal in 
Bombay. 
Of course I was offered most interesting specimens, such as shark’s fins, tailor 
bird’s nests, oyster shells, young mongrel pup, kittens, etc. I was also told of 
the Black Gecko which my informant was positive was deadly, in fact colubrine 
poisoning or viperine were not in the same street. Another interesting 
thing I was told about this reptile was that if it took up it’s abode in a house, 
death to one or more of the inhabitants was certain as it would attack anyone 
within reach and had been known to drop from the ceiling on to the neck of a 
person and grasp him firmly by the ear injecting a lethal dose of venom mean- 
while. I tried to look serious and told him I had not heard of it but would not 
forget what I'd been told, no more I shall. 
As regards the general opinion on a Collector of any specimens of Natural 
History whatsoever this seems to vary a lot, but that he must be just a “ little 
touched ’’ is unanimous. This is a pity as it is a slight handicap to contend with 
from the very commencement, even should the general opinion be correct. Now, 
having got to know some of the residents, naturally I was anxious to learn as 
much as possible about my area and I was told by several people that I had come 
at the wrong time of the year and that several months would have to elapse be- 
fore I could even think of starting work. Several said what I wanted for my 
work was a launch, which was sound enough no doubt but out of the question. 
However, a certain A was pointed out to me as the man who could put me in the 
know and to him I went. He was kindness itself but beyond ‘‘ You can’t do 
anything now, ”’ I got nothing out of him. Of course I picked up my information 
as I went along and found, when I started work, that I knew sufficient to be of 
considerable help to me so that I was quite content. All I would remark is that 
anyone going on a similar expedition would do well to remember that *‘ while 
many will give thee counsel wisdom cometh only from a few’. The questions 
put me regarding my work were as varied in their character as they were numer- 
ous. One that seemed the favourite was “‘ What do you think you will get ? ”’- 
From what I had heard of the climate in the jungle “ at this time of the year’’ 
I felt like saying ‘“‘ FEVER,” but that would have been rude, though true, as 
after events proved. One advantage I found in talking a certain amount of shop 
was that any one possessing an animal or insect of any description was very keen 
on showing it to me and thus I was able to see specimens I might otherwise have 
missed. X I found abounded in pet monkeys, more bungalows possessing 
them than not. I made a monkey-examining tour once and found the follow- 
ing :—H.lar, P. fascicularis, P. arctoides, and P. obscurus 1 was told had been 
kept by a certain person. Thespecimen of P. arctoides I saw was immature 
and a most amusing little animal it was too, full of mischief. The orbital area 
was a ruddy pink dotted with black as though charcoal dust had been 
sprinkled on to it. He had a very intelligent expression and quite a charm of 
manner, it was very amusing to see him shake hands, which trick he had 
learnt, but for some reason he seemed to prefer offering a hind foot to be 
shaken and the expression of utter boredom on his face when turning his back 
and raising a hind foot was really a study. This monkey I was informed had 
been brought from the forest about 20 miles N. of X, where they inhabited 
the hills near the coast. I was also shewn a mangled skin of M. javanica. 
