BORNEAN CRESTED FIREBACK 135 



The young female — having the added cause for negligence of parent protection, was 

 positively regardless of what might threaten. She gave herself wholly to the pleasure 

 of eating, with only now and then a perfunctory glance around, with no motionless 

 periods whatever, but scratching vigorously all the while. It is exceedingly interesting 

 that while in the adults continual consciousness of danger should be so acute, 

 nevertheless it should be manifested in so defective a manner in nearly grown birds, 

 in which total independence has not as yet called out the need for the perfect exercising 

 of this function. 



I have mentioned several times the habit of scratching among the leaves for 

 insects, and that I saw the birds again and again taking small insects or other little 

 creatures from leaves. When the birds are feeding on the move, to or from the river, 

 they seem chiefly to look for such food, but when more or less settled down in one 

 spot, I noticed them more often plucking at the leaves and young grass-like growths. 

 The crops of a number of birds indicated that seeds and leaves were the main source 

 of food supply, while it was only occasionally that insects actually predominated. The 

 most common proportion was a goodly number of seeds of various kinds, a less amount 

 of leaves and comminuted vegetable matter of a similar nature, with a scattering 

 indication of small insects. These latter consisted almost entirely of ants and small 

 beetles, either small iridescent flower beetles, or grubs and ground coleoptera. An 

 acorn-like fruit was found in several cases, called by the natives bompeli. 



CAPTIVITY 



One day on the Upper Rejang River in Sarawak, a Dyak brought me two Crested 

 Firebacks, a cock and a hen, in coarse woven native ''quakes" or round baskets. They 

 had been trapped together at the edge of a paddy field, and the savage said through 

 the interpreter that they were " man and wife." I took this as a good omen, and as 

 it was near the end of my stay I did not sacrifice them for the sake of science, but 

 placed the birds in more comfortable quarters, and in the semi-darkness of half-covered 

 cages began to accustom them to a diet of paddy and what other vegetables I could 

 procure. They soon became rather quiet, and in fact Avithin a week would show but 

 little fear even when the food dishes were being cleaned and filled. The cock, at first 

 pecking fiercely at my hand from anger, soon appreciated that each time I approached, 

 a large fat insect was dropped within his cage, and he soon took the grasshoppers and 

 beetles direct. They were such model captives that they had a most wholesome effect 

 on my other birds, and did much to quiet two particularly nervous Argus females and 

 a covey of wood quail. On the down-river journey they were perched high up on the 

 matting roof of the war canoe, and made the journey safely. Finally at Singapore they 

 started for their final destination in most elaborate crates of teak- wood fashioned by 

 the skilled hands of Chinese carpenters. 



Several weeks later, three of the Bornean Crested Firebacks were turned out in 

 a roomy aviary at Bernardsville, New Jersey, where they stretched their wings, and 

 preened their plumage in comfort. The ''man and wife," if such they had been, would 

 have none of each other, but the splendid cock bird cast his affections upon a young 

 hen which was in the same lot. These paired off, and made things so unpleasant for 



