16 
From year to year a certain amount of variation is to be expected biit it is ditiicult 
to see why the breeding colonics should vary individually. 
If the birds are allowed to rear a brood in their first nest they will build no 
ruore that season and economy in collecting is therefore to l)e attained by observing 
the following points : — 
A watcher should be stationed at the cave to give warning that tlie nests are 
nearing completion and that eggs are being (aid. This course is followed (in 
theory at least ) at Gomantong. 
The jonrney to inany nf the caves is Inng and involves ranch preparation and 
it seems reasonable to suppose that when the workers reach their objective they 
collect whatever neats are to be had even at the risk of cutting the profits somewhat. 
A slightly larger profit involving a double journey and preparation would scarcely 
be an attractive proposition to the Hungei people. 
Various names are applied to the collections or the period of the collections, 
"Papas," "Penangah" and "Ekor" apply to the first, second and third 
collections respectively but they do not appear to be strictly parallel in origin and 
application, 
''Papas" is a Sungei word meaning " the first collection of nests.'* ''Penatigah'' 
is Sulu for half. On Mantanani Island the first collection of the year is called 
"Pengalasahan" which is succeeded by the chief collection of the year known as 
"Bunga tahun." A subsequent collection seems to be known as "Pahabissan," 
I can make no reconmiendations with a view to increasing the average quality 
of the nests or the proportion of white nests. 
XIII. FOOD OF THE SWIFTLETB. 
The stomach contents of a number of swiftlets were sent to Mr. H, M. 
Pendlebury, Systematic Entomologist of the Federated ISIalay States Museums 
Department, who kindly reported as follows : — 
"The material consisted almost exclusively of winged Ants (Hijmenoptera) 
belonging to tlie subfamilies Mijymeciiiae and Camponotinae : the only determinable 
species were Colobojisis stricta Jerd., which was dominant, and Colobopsia 
aufjniitaia Mayr,. which was less numerous. All the other sjiecimens were partly 
recognizable as belonging to species found in jungle and open country ; by this is 
meant that none of them makes caves its exclusive habitat. 
There were also remnants of two small Dragon-flies apparently referable to the 
genus Drepanosticta ; and also those of a small green stink-bug, undoubtedly 
Plautia fimbria ta. 
Both these are open country insects only. 
Were any steps to be taken in destroying jungle in the immediate vicinity of 
the caves, it would mean that insect life would be more abundant for a time, 
when the jungle was l>eing felled and disturbed ; after thaf there would be a scarcity 
which would cause the birds to go further afield in search of food. As a matter of 
fact, winged ants, v^hicb seem to form the bulk of their sustenance often flight in 
the evenings and early mornings, just when the birds are returning and leaving 
the eaves." 
