XXXVI 
FASCICULI MAL AYERSES 
beetles. Of these the frog is probably peculiar to this habitat, while the same 
is possibly true of the bug. The broad leaves of the gingerworts and 
bananas also have their peculiar fauna. Many species of insects — including the 
members of a peculiar Dipterous family ( Diopsidae ), which, in the Malay 
Peninsula at any rate, are rarely found apart from these plants — delight to run 
about on and to hover over their surface, and others conceal themselves during 
the day in the funnels formed by the young leaves ; while the so-called flying 
gecko, Ptychozoon homocephalum , not infrequently chooses the lower surface 
of the adult leaves on which to lay its eggs. 
The larger mammals are scarce on Bukit Besar, but we often heard the 
curious cry of the male serow, Nemorhaedus swettenhami — something between 
a bleat and a bark — and the still stranger call of the muntjac ( Cervulus 
muntjac ), which is a regular roar. One night our slumbers were disturbed 
by the yelping of a pack of hunting dogs ( Cyon ) and by the growls of a pair 
of tigers which wandered round our hut ; while traces of the Malay bear 
( Ursus malayanus ) and wild pig were abundant. Among rodents we took 
specimens of six kinds of squirrels, and saw a family of a seventh, namely 
the variable species, Sciurus finlaysoni. Of those actually collected, two, 
Sc. robinsoni and the ground squirrel, Funambulus insignis jalorensis , were new, 
and we also obtained two new rats, Mus bukit and M. jalorensis. The birds 
were neither numerous nor peculiar, though many of them had exquisite 
plumage ; only a few, probably owing to the isolated position of Bukit Besar, 
belonged to the true mountain fauna of the Peninsula. The reptiles and 
frogs were mostly arboreal forms, and therefore difficult to collect or even see ; 
but we obtained two new frogs, Ixalus horridus and Rhacophorus robinsoni , and 
some interesting lizards, including the peculiar horned species Acanthosaurus 
armata , and also Dibamus novae-guineae — the only representative of a family not 
hitherto recorded from the mainland of Asia. Insect life was rich, but not so 
rich as in 1899, which was a very much wetter 1 year ; we had opportunities 
both of collecting and also of photographing and observing, under natural 
conditions, a number of interesting forms, including the marvellous flower 
mantis, Hymenopus bicornis, the white and pink ‘varieties’ of which were proved 
to be mere phases in the life history, as Spielford believes, while a third phase, 
of a pinkish coffee-colour, was noted in connection with the flower of a 
creeper. We were not so fortunate as to obtain specimens of the Peripatus 
discovered on Bukit Besar by the ‘ Skeat ’ expedition. 
I. It is possible that the annual rainfall in the Patani States is fairly uniform, but that its distribution through 
the months differs considerably from year to year. In 1899 there was almost daily rain between April and the end 
of what would be the summer in Europe. In 1901, a more or less sustained drought prevailed during this period in 
the plains, while thunderstorms were less numerous and violent on the hills. Neither year was considered extra- 
ordinary by the natives, who expect a heavy rainfall and high winds in the latter end of November, in December and 
January, and a short period of calm, dry weather in March and the beginning of April. 
