56 MALAY POISONS AND CHARM CUBES 



engraved with astrological and other symbols, is also 

 worn as a talisman, but the most important ring in 

 regard to Malay poisons is the finger ring fashioned out 

 of the beak of the sohd-billed hombill, which is much 

 treasured for use in the emergencies of native poison- 

 ing. In Jmie, 1913, a Malay noble, a descendant of 

 the Prophet, was conducting an experiment (strongly 

 suggestive of " salting " a mine) with cyanide of 

 potassium, used in counterfeiting coin, with the idea 

 of turning an oxide of iron into an oxide of tin. During 

 the course of liis experiments a fowl pecked at the 

 cyanide, spun round, and apparently died. It was, 

 however, saved by the mother- wit of a young princess, 

 the wife of the noble, who used a ring of the kind 

 mentioned above. She rubbed her ring down in water 

 and gave a mouthful to the fowl, making it vomit. 

 This lady's ring is much worn by friction fi'om use on 

 other similar occasions. The supposed virtue of this 

 antidote rests on the unknown properties of a solid 

 yellow wax-like stuff from which these rings are made ; 

 this stuff forms the solid casque on the beak of this 

 particular bird (Rliinoplax vigil, Forst., Bucerotidae). 

 It is sometimes carved into love charms. Brooches and 

 buttons are made from it in the form of amulets ; they 

 are supposed to turn to a livid colour when the wearer 

 is threatened by the approach of poison. Spoons for 

 tlie detection of poison in food are also made, but cups 

 such as the mediaeval poison cups '* do not seem to 

 exist. This superstition is well knomi in Kelautan. 

 The country people think that such a ring, that tm'ns 

 green, is kept by the Tengku Besar Tuan Soh, an uncle 

 of the late Sultan of Kelantan, but the TSngku says 

 that he has no ring of this kind in his possession. 



This rare species of hombill is almost peculiar to 

 Malaya, and is nicknamed by Malays " the bird that 



