chap, x.] THORNY JUNGLE. 247 



breeds of poultry — were among the birds that chiefly- 

 attracted my attention during our stay at Labuan Tring. 



The most characteristic feature of the jungle was its 

 thorniness. The shrubs were thorny ; the creepers were 

 thorny ; the bamboos even were thorny. Everything grew 

 zigzag and jagged, and in an inextricable tangle, so that to 

 get through the bush with gun or net or even spectacles, 

 was generally not to be done, and insect-catching in such 

 localities was out of the question. It was in such places 

 that the Pittas often lurked, and when shot it became a 

 matter of some difficulty to secure the bird, and seldom 

 without a heavy payment of pricks and scratches and torn 

 clothes could the prize be won. The dry volcanic soil 

 and arid climate seem favourable to the production of such 

 stunted and thorny vegetation, for the natives assured me 

 that this was nothing to the thorns and prickles of Sum- 

 bawa, whose surface still bears the covering of volcanic 

 ashes thrown out forty years ago by the terrible eruption 

 of Tomboro. Among the shrubs and trees that are not 

 prickly the Apocynaceae were most abundant, their bilobed 

 fruits of varied form and colour and often of most tempting 

 appearance, hanging everywhere hy the waysides as if to 

 invite to destruction the weary traveller who may be un- 

 aware of their poisonous properties. One in particular 

 with a smooth shining skin of a golden orange colour 

 rivals in appearance the golden apples of the Hesperides, 



