Indian Archipelago. 2121 



soft, woolly fur, and enormous jet black eyes. Often will this little creature be seen 

 proceeding, with a low wailing cry, over the ground, with its young clinging tena- 

 ciously to its fur. These animals are generally torpid during the day, but active 

 after nightfall. 



The mustang is a sportive little animal, with a long tail and moderately soft fur : 

 it is extremely good-natured, but a great thief. When domesticated on board ship, it 

 will climb the rigging, and poke into every corner it can find access to, purloining su- 

 gar and eggs. Often is it thrown overboard as a punishment, but for this it cares 

 little, swimming like a fish. One which Captain Belcher had on board the ' Samar- 

 rang' used to accumulate the bananas it stole for a long time, and then luxuriate at 

 its ease on the delicious fruit, until the whole was exhausted, when it would commence 

 its depredations anew. 



The land tortoises are of two species, one of which attains considerable size ; some 

 have been seen two feet in length. They dwell in the deep, damp woods, living on 

 vegetables. 



Every marsh and swamp abounds with frogs, which croak in dismal concert through 

 the night. Their greatest enemies are the snakes, which are found in great numbers. 

 Some of the varieties are unknown to European naturalists. The crested cobra of In- 

 dia is found in Borneo, with the superb but deadly sun-snake, and the golden-ringed 

 viper, — so called from the beautiful golden rings which encircle its black body. This 

 species is very common in the mangrove swamps, where it sleeps among the tree tops 

 till the water of the rain floods has subsided sufficiently for it to seek its food, when it 

 descends in search of prey. Another kind is called the hammer-headed viper, from its 

 enormous head : it is very venomous, but sluggish in its movements. The size of 

 some of the Bornean snakes may be imagined, when we state that one of the Python 

 species was caught and killed, which contained in its stomach an undigested deer, 

 horns and all. None of these large snakes are venomous, as their great strength se- 

 cures the destruction of their prey. There is one of this tribe, the flower-snake, which 

 is exceedingly beautiful : it is small and graceful, with skin resembling rich velvet, of 

 a superb green colour above and yellow under. This little creature is not in the least 

 degree venomous or otherwise hurtful : the Malays entertain a strong partiality for it, 

 using it as a toy. Another snake very much resembles the harmless one, which has 

 been the cause of many accidents. An European gentleman was once very near 

 losing his life through mistaking the one for the other, and attempting to play with 

 it. Water-snakes abound in the rivers ; some of them are poisonous. 



Among the birds of Borneo, of which we can here speak at no length, there is one 

 of which the Dyaks entertain a very great awe. When, on a journey, they hear its 

 note, nothing can induce them to advance in the direction from which it proceeds : 

 they will stop and tremble violently, and immediately take another road. Mr. Dalton 

 in his excursions often tried to induce his followers to show him this bird : this, how- 

 ever, he could never prevail on them to do. As soon as the note of ill omen was heard, 

 they would seize the English traveller by the arm, and, pointing with gestures of ap- 

 prehension to the sky, force him a contrary way. The voice of this bird is like that of 

 the blackbird, equally sweet, but much louder and stronger. 



The woods, jungles and gardens of Borneo teem with insect life. Butterflies, of 

 gaudy colours and graceful shapes, are everywhere seen flitting. Spiders, in almost 

 all other countries of so repulsive an aspect, here appear under the most graceful 

 forms and brilliant hues ; indeed some species of them may well be termed beautiful : 



