21*20 Zoology of the 



alligator's reach is generally placed a bamboo cage, containing a dog, whose loud and 

 continued howling attracts the animal to the spot. Fastened to the stick by a short 

 piece of cord is a long rattan, which — when the alligator has swallowed the bait and is 

 annoyed by the piece of wood in his throat — discovers the place to which he retreats, 

 which is generally some woody creek. The natives now assemble in great numbers, 

 beating drums and waving flags, and address the alligator with all sorts of dignified 

 and conciliatory expressions, — " Will the rajah come on shore ? Will the rajah please 

 to be quiet ? " The monster is then seized, bound hand and foot, if we may so speak, 

 with ropes, and lashed between two canoes, which are then floated to a convenient 

 spot, where he is despatched. On one occasion, when Mr. Brooke's followers succeeded 

 in capturing an alligator, a grand consultation was held as to the mode of disposing 

 of the king, as he is termed. One party maintained that rajah met rajah, and that, 

 therefore, it would be highly improper to sacrifice His Highness ; that if he were 

 praised and flattered he would behave genteelly and as became the dignity of his si- 

 tuation. On the other hand it was argued, that, though true enough it was that on 

 this occasion rajah met rajah, yet if this alligator were soothed and caressed, and 

 treated with such marked honour, the consequence would be that the whole crocodile 

 community would become vain, unmanageable, puffed up with pride. Long and ear- 

 nest was the council. Mr. Brooke at length, taking into deep consideration the in- 

 convenience of harbouring so voracious and unwieldy a monster in his grounds, decided 

 he should instantly be killed. He was accordingly despatched, his head severed from 

 the trunk, and the body left exposed as a warning to all other crocodiles inhabiting 

 that river. In the stomach of this animal was found part of the body of an unfortu- 

 nate Malay fisherman, who had been seized while occupied with his nets and lines. 

 The alligators often fight ferociously with one another : they have been found with 

 several inches of their bony noses broken off in consequence of one of these encoun- 

 ters. As the ' Phlegethon ' steamer proceeded up the Rejang river, Captain Mundy 

 observed numerous alligators basking in the sun, with their bodies half immersed by 

 their own weight in the mud. The six-pounders of the steamer opened fire on them 

 as she passed. For the sake of security for the Dyaks we trust these animals will 

 speedily be exterminated. 



The marshy jungles of Borneo, and Sarawak especially, are about sunset alive with 

 these animals, and with their inferior brethren, the lizards, of which there exist in the 

 island so abundant a variety that to to attempt an enumeration of them here would be 

 out of the question. In every pool, by every spring, beneath every stone, on the trunk 

 of every tree, on the face of every rock, in the waters of every river, creek and stream, 

 the alligator and the lizard are to be met, filling the air with harsh and dissonant 

 noises. Some of these latter are exceedingly beautiful, especially those resembling the 

 chameleon. 



Otters, civet and polecats are numerous in Borneo. The great ant-eater is also to 

 be met with : it is provided with strong scales, of a horny texture, and when attacked 

 will roll itself up into a ball, as the hedgehog, being in this position better defended 

 by its scaly armour. 



The flying fox is another Bornean animal. In the gloomy forests it is continually 

 soaring far in the air with steady flight, flapping its wings, and uttering at intervals 

 n shrill cry. Then a rustling sound may be heard among the bushes, and porcupines 

 in great numbers will rush out with hideous noise, and trot along with the greatest 

 agility. The slow-paced lemur now attracts attention as it creeps along, by its beautiful, 



