Ill MR. D. D. DALY ON THE CAVES CONTAINING [Feb. 7, 



British North-Borneo Company will give access to the Batu Tim- 

 bang, Senobang, Uhi Sembakong, and Obang Obang Caves, which 

 are all situated to the south of the Kinabatangan River, and tlien 

 the real output of the caves will be ascertained, and the harvests of 

 birds'-nests, collected, as in Java, under European supervision in 

 proper seasons, will be enhanced in value. 



No. 7. The Obang Obang Caves are situated on the Melikop 

 River, a tributary of the Kinabatangan River, East Coast, about the 

 centre of British North Borneo, and connecting the east and west 

 coasts by the pali'eozoic zone of insular limestone mountains. 



The aneroid, at the mouths of the caves, gave a reading of one 

 thousand eight hundred and ten feet above sea- level. The last half- 

 hour's walk was over limestone boulders, and the air was strongly 

 impregnated with the odour of Bats' guano. 



The first cave is the most valuable, but it can only be entered by 

 experts in climbing. 



The entrance is a small hole, about four feet by four, which is 

 closed with a wooden grating, for the purpose of attracting atten- 

 tion to the spot. 



Every two months this doorway is opened, and the climbers let 

 themselves down into the caves by means of rattans, and gather all 

 nests, both large and small. 



The " take " or collection varies much in different seasons, this 

 principal cave yielding from eighty to two hundred and fifty white 

 nests, worth Si 6 a catty, per season. 



One season lasts only two months, making six seasons in the year, 

 the same periods of seasons are also observed at the Senobang cavern, 

 Ulu Penungah. This is quite different from the duration of the 

 s^asons at Gomanton, Batu Timbang (river Quarmote), Madai, and 

 Sigalong Caves, where there are only two or, at most, three seasons 

 in the twelve months. The Tungaras agree that by collecting fre- 

 quently tliey procure white nests in first-rate order, though some 

 of the nests fetch a higher price from the Sulu traders than those of 

 Batu Timbang. 



I noticed a great scarcity of Swifts ; this may be attributed to 

 these frequent takings of nests, which prevent the birds from breeding, 

 whereas in the other caves of North Borneo where the collections 

 are less frequent, an immense number of birds are found. 



On the other hand, where there are only two collections per 

 annum, and especially during the rainy season, many of the nests 

 are found to be half rotten, particularly that part of the nests that 

 adheres to the wall, and full of feathers and containing eggs, from 

 having been left too long on the walls before collection. 



The " Obang Obang" range, which contains the caves of that 

 name, runs about north and south and is half a mile in length. 



There are seven entrances ("lobang") from the top of the hill, 

 and they are all close together. Five of the caves do not contain 

 any nests, no Swifts, but only Bats, inhabiting them. 



The first I have already alluded to, and the last was the only one 



