1888.] EDIBLE BIRDS'-NESTS IN BRITISH NORTH BORNEO. 113 



was informed, are nearly twice as high as JNIadai. A stream of 

 good water flows just below the cave. 



No. 5. The Batu Timbang Caves are situated at the head of 

 the Quarmote River, a branch of the Kinabataugan River, East Coast, 

 and are almost inaccessible when the Quarmote River is in flood, on 

 account of dangerous rapids. During other seasons the journey 

 from the Kinabataugan to the caves can be accomplished there and 

 back in a fortnight. When I visited the Quarmote in September 

 1884 it was impossible to stem the flood. The chief, Rajah Tuah 

 Dorkas, concurred that a road would be a great advantage, inas- 

 much as tliree seasons for gathering the nests would then be avail- 

 able, and the nests would all be in good order and of higher value. 

 At present there are two seasons — one dry, when the nests are 

 picked and in fair order ; the other when the rains are on, which, 

 percolating the limestone vaults, trickle into and damage the nests. 

 When the rainy season lasts an unusually long time and the caves 

 catmot be reached, the nests are left on the walls for too long 

 a period and become black and nearly worthless. Men are fre- 

 quently drowned over the cataracts. There are many vaults in 

 these caves, and the chief told me that he had gathered 15 catties 

 (= 20 lbs. avoirdupois) of white nests, and one picul (= 133g lbs.) 

 of black nests from one vault alone during the last season. The 

 expenses of collecting are considerable. When the collecting-season 

 has arrived, a fleet of flat-bottomed boats start from the Kinaba- 

 taugan River ; sometimes there are as many as 90 boats, and allowing 

 five men to each boat, the force would number 4.50 men. As there 

 is no currency in silver or copper, all these people are paid in birds'- 

 nests, which come into the traders' hands and find their way to 

 Sandakan. 



The Batu Timbang Caves had been abandoned for some years 

 until the British North-Borneo Company proclaimed the Royal 

 Charter in 1881. There are powerful tribes in the interior, the 

 principal one being the Tingallans, who are head-hunters, and the 

 collectors were decimated year after year. Since the advent of the 

 British North-Borneo Company, the people have been able to work 

 the caves without molestation. 



No. 6. The Senobang Caves are situated on the Upper Penun- 

 gah River, a tributary of the Kinabatangan River, East Coast. The 

 late much-lamented Mr. Frank Hattou, in 1882, made a gallant 

 attempt, in the face of hostility from the Tungara tribe, to visit 

 them. The savages were conciliated, chiefly by his pluck and tact; 

 but the floods swept away and destroyed some of his boats over the 

 rapids, and he was most unwillingly compelled to do that which 

 explorers are so loath to do, viz., turn back. 



In October 1884 I made two attempts to reach these caves, but 

 was overpowered by the heavy rains which swelled the river, and 

 over a cataract I lost part of my provisions, a rifle, and all my 

 cooking-utensils. The time will come when roads laid out by the 



Proc. Zool. Soc— 1888, No. VIII. 8 



