9 
noted to have taken no part in the affray became administratoi' of the caves 
iaimetl lately after, havinj^ taken tlie oath of alle|,nance to the Government. But 
the mantle of authority has not fallen directly upon Guh^ai by virtue of his descent 
and the i>ersonnel of the ]>ractical administi'iitors of the caves has known many 
vicissitudes. 
The actual working system in force for the various caves in the territory is 
not constant. Some like the Gomanton^^ eaves which were confiscated on the 
death of Panglima di Gadong are the property of the Government. Contractors 
are appointed from time to time and these are under the control of a paid Govern- 
ment A^^ent. The contra<;tor draws the money and engages the workers in the 
kamiK)ngs who share in the profits. 
The Government was formerly paid '20,000 per annum for the rights to work 
the caves but the present arrangement h that the Governuient gets a royalty of 
fifty j)€r cent of the total proceeds ( excluding certain minor adjustments). 
From privately owned caves the Government draws an annual royalty of 
10 per cent. 
On the .east coast the collecting rights of the caves are hereditary and 
registered by Government. 
VIII. THE NORTH BORNEO CAVES. 
It is much to be regretted that a complete list of the caves or known nesting 
places of the swiftlets in the territory cannot be given. Such a list would be of 
great value as a basis for administration and future investigations but it does not 
yet exist and its compilation would entail an exhaustive enquiry in every Residency 
of the country and require a much more intimate knowledge of the countrs' than 
the writer possesses. All the large and easily accessible caves are of course well 
known but the whereabouts and character of others are very vague and some are, 
almost without doubt, unregistered. As a first step to any com[>lete investigation 
I suggest that : 
L (a) A register of swiftlet colonies should he compiled and kept in each 
district office. It should show the exact location of all colonies and caves together 
with a certain amount of detail. There seem to be unrecorded casual nesting 
places, even on the Lotver Kinabatangan. The number may be small but when 
the price fetched for the fine Berhala nests is considered even small numbers 
cannot be ignored. 
(h) The register shotild also record former and reputed nesting places 
many such "fancies" having a basis of truth. 
( o) It should also contain ample space for the observations of a succession 
of District Ofticers, Such a definite allocation of space would stimulate the energj' 
of such D. O.'s with a taste for such an enquiry. It may be noted that to my 
certain knowledge a good many District Officers from Kota Belud have visited 
Mautauani Island but it is doubtful whether any oliservations except bare official 
