IN SUMATRA. 131 



examined, the greater is seen to be the extreme chasteness of 

 their markings, and their rich, varied and harmonious colouring. 

 When alarmed the Argus escapes by running through the 

 thick underscrub, when the brilliancy of its plumage, by being 

 gathered close about its body, is quite concealed. 



Till I had observed it at a later period, I was not aware of its 

 habit of making a large circus, some ten to twelve feet in 

 diameter, in the forest, which it clears of every leaf and twig 

 and branch, till the ground is perfectly swept and garnished. 

 On the margin of this circus there is invariably a projecting 

 branch ot high-arched root, at a few feet elevation above the 

 ground, on which the female bird takes its place, while in the 

 ring the male — the male birds alone possess great decoration- 

 shows oflf all its magnificence for the gratification and pleasure 

 of his consort, and to exalt himself in her eyes. It is a strange 

 fact that when the male bird has been caught — these birds 

 are much trapped by the natives, their excessive shyness 

 making it almost impossible to shoot them — the female in- 

 variably returns to the same circus with a new mate, even if 

 two or three times in succession her lord should be caught. 

 The female bird is rarely caught, owing to her flying to her 

 roost when approaching the circus, while the great winged 

 males walk into the ring, which the native skilfully barricades 

 all round except the one spot where he sets his snare. 



The houses in Kotta-djawa at first sight looked as if they 

 were all roof and no body, for the broad thatched slopes and 

 gables reached down to within five or six feet from the ground, 

 where they projected out somewhat horizontally, so as to leave 

 a free space all round the square bamboo or bark-made, box- 

 like, propped-up edifice, in which, protected from sun and rain, 

 most of the rice-stamping and other household operations were 

 performed. In south Sumatra, though rivers abound, and 

 there is much level land, the natives, till very recently, took 

 always their rice crops from forest land, which produces a far 

 less return of grain, of a quality, too, much inferior to sawah 

 (or wet-field) grown corn. To make this ladang the native 

 goes after the virgin forest, leaving his old fields to produce a 

 new crop of trees, if the alang-alang grass does not get the 

 upper .hand. 



The virgin woods contain the. really interesting and.valu- 



