Ee Se Aa DNS, Ob BORNEO (2x 
fingers, and he binds the hind legs fast 
behind the beast’s back, so taking away 
from him his grip on the ground, and 
consequently his ability to use his tail. 
When one remembers what a sudden 
swing of the muscular tail means, one 
cannot help admiring the man who coolly 
approaches a large crocodile for the pur- 
pose of tying his hind legs. Finally the 
fore legs are tied in the same way over 
the anima!’s back. A stout pole is passed 
under the bound legs and the animal is 
carried away. He is taken to the near- 
est government station, the reward is 
claimed, and he is afterwards cut open 
and the contents of his stomach exam- 
ined. 
Though the animal is spoken to in 
such flattering terms before he is se- 
cured, the moment his arms and legs are 
bound across his back and ‘he is power- 
less for evil, they howl at him and deride 
him for his stupidity. 
The professional crocodile catchers 
are generally Malays, who are sent for 
whenever their services are required. 
But there are Dyaks who have given up 
their old superstitious dread of the ani- 
mal and are expert crocodile catchers. 
EDIBLE BIRDS NESTS 
Sometimes the Dyaks join others in 
the collection of edible birds’ nests for 
the Chinese market. This is a great in- 
dustry in those parts of Borneo where 
there are large limestone caves in which 
these nests are found. The caves are 
farmed out by government, and what- 
ever is obtained over the amount paid to 
government is the profit of the workers. 
In Upper Sarawak certain tribes possess 
caves in which edible birds’ nests are 
found, and they divide the nests with the 
. government. 
Sometimes Dyaks who wish to earn a 
little extra money go and help these 
tribes in collecting birds’ nests and get a 
share of the profits, or more often they 
go to small caves which belong to no 
one in particular and collect birds’ nests 
for themselves, and then give a share of 
what they find to the government. 
Some of the caves in which edible 
birds’ nests are found are very large. 
At the entrance the visitor is met by 
thousands of bats and swallows. The 
latter resemble the common swallow in 
appearance, but are only half as large. 
These small swallows make the edible 
nests. Inside, the cave is often like an 
immense amphitheater roofed like a 
dome, the middle of which is over a 
thousand feet high. Thousands of nests 
are seen clinging to the pillar-like rocky 
sides and roof. The most flimsy-looking 
stages of bamboos tied together with 
cane are the simple means employed by 
the natives to collect the nests from the 
seemingly most inaccessible positions. 
Though there are rifts in the sides 
through which come rays of light, still 
in parts the cave is so dark that lamps 
and torches have to be used. 
The Dyaks climb up the bamboo scaf- 
folding, carrying with them long cane 
ladders. These are fixed against the 
sides. Two men work on each ladder, 
which often hangs high up in the air. 
One carries a light four-pronged spear 
about fifteen feet long, and near the 
prongs a lighted candle is fixed. Hold- 
ing on to the ladder with one hand, he 
manages the spear with the other, and 
transfixes the nest. A slight push de- 
taches it from the rock, and the spear is 
then held within reach of a second man, 
who detaches the nest and puts it into 
a basket tied to his waist. 
The natives say that there are two 
species of swallows that inhabit these 
caves. Those that take up their abode 
near the entrance of the cave build nests 
which are of no value. These birds 
often attack the other and smaller 
species which make the edible nests. 
The natives often destroy the nests of 
the larger swallows, so’as to lessen their 
number. 
The best quality nests are very trans- 
lucent, and of a pale yellow color, and 
mixed with very few feathers. These 
are nests that have been freshly made. 
If the nests are not removed, the birds 
make use of them again, so that by age 
