.534 MR. H. PRYER ON THE [Nov. 18, 



not require it, as there are, very fortunately, no mosquitoes, and I 

 was not annoyed with them at any time during my stay in Borneo. 



Next morning at 1 o'clock a.m. I started for a five hours' walk 

 through the forest : the track is a good one and fairly level : it follows 

 a small stream, now dried up into a succession of small pools, swarm- 

 ing with small fish which are very tame, and would come up and 

 nibble at one's fingers directly the hand was placed in the water. 

 We were now passing out of the sandstone district, which is the 

 formation about Elopura, rising there into high bluffs, under and 

 upon the side of one of which the town is built. Occasional blocks 

 of limestone showed themselves in the pools, and I began to find 

 land-shells in abundance for the first time. Tracks of Elephants 

 were common and very fresh, our approach having evidently just 

 driven them off the path ; an orang-utan, deer, monkeys, fire-back 

 pheasants, crows, horn bills, &c, were seen, and the argus pheasants 

 were calling in every direction. The forest was free from under- 

 growth, and one could walk in any direction unimpeded. The 

 largest trees reach an enormous height, sending out their first 

 branches two hundred feet from the ground, the trunks being 

 supported by huge buttresses at the base of the trees. 



At noon the path came abruptly to the foot of a high limestone 

 cliff, which had hitherto been concealed by the forest-growth. This 

 cliff is honeycombed with caves, most of which are connected in some 

 way with a large one, known to the Malays by the name of Simud 

 Itam, i.e. the Black Cavern. The entrance to this is at the foot of 

 the cliff and is about 100 feet wide and 250 feet high ; inside the 

 height is greater, the roof being 360 feet from the ground ; it is well 

 lighted, as about 200 yards from the entrance there are two large 

 circular openings in the roof. Here a number of the Swifts were 

 flying about, and also numbers of Bats, the ground being covered 

 with large quantities of guano. The birds' -nests could be seen 

 attached to the sides and roof. From various corners and places, 

 apparently inaccessible, could be seen the rattan ladders and stages 

 used by the nest-gatherers. I have seen many caves in other parts 

 of the world, but nothing to compare with this one, which strongly 

 reminded me of a huge cathedral, but far surpasses in its grandeur 

 any work of human hands. 



From the mouth of the cave ran a small amount of water, strongly 

 impregnated with guano, and on this many butterflies of the genera 

 Papilio and Pieris settled ; a very pretty Cyrestis was flying in 

 and out : I secured several specimens, but missed a most lovely 

 Papilio, quite new to me and which I believe to be undescribed. 

 Tracks of Pigs led in all directions about the floor of the cave. 



After a rest I ascended the cliff about 400 feet ; the ascent is quite 

 perpendicular : in many places ladders are erected and in others 

 the water-worn surface of the limestone gives a foothold. On the 

 ascent I noticed many Orchids, Begonias, ferns, and mosses I had 

 not seen elsewhere. My collector caught a snake I believe to be an 

 Elaphis, certainly the most beautiful Colubrine I have seen, white 

 and light grey. The Malays said it was very destructive to the Swifts, 



