COLLECTIONS IN MALAYA 
9 
Each area so trapped is referred to as an MR-experiment, and the principal experiments 
have been : 
Sungei Buloh , Pylon area. — An area of open grassland ( Imperata cylindrica ) bounded 
by and contaminated with scrub, largely inhabited by Rattus exulans , R. rattus 
jalorensis, R. r. argentiventer and R. whiteheadi and visited by Wild Pigs ( Sus 
scrofa). Trapping commenced in mid-1950 and continues. 
Sungei Buloh , House Area. — The edge of an area of low-grade secondary forest, 
including both the woodland and the grassland. This is the area figured in 
Table III of Audy and Harrison, 1951. The species found were the same as 
for the last area, but in different proportions. This experiment was commenced 
in early 1950 and discontinued at the end of 1951. 
Sungei Buloh , Stream Area. — A low lying area involving the flood-plain of the Sungei 
Buloh stream and the surrounding scrub-ccvered slopes, which had been 
abandoned by vegetable gardeners immediately before the experiment 
commenced. The whole area has been under cultivation in the past. It is 
inhabited by the same rats as the preceding areas. This experiment was 
commenced in late 1951 and continues. 
The above “Sungei Buloh” areas are fairly close to the forest edge of the Bukit Lagong 
Forest Reserve in the neighbourhood of the Leper- Settlement. The settlement was built 
between 1925 and 1930 on the site of a small village, and much of the surrounding area was 
probably cleared of forest at that time. 
Sungei Buloh , Forest.— An area of primary and secondary forest about a mile in from 
the edge of the Bukit Lagong Forest Reserve, including both the bottom and sides 
of the valley of the Sungei Buloh stream. The principal animals marked were 
Rattus miilleri , R. sabanus , R. rajah , R. whiteheadi and some squirrels. The 
experiment was commenced in mid-1950 and abandoned in mid- 1951 owing to 
bandit activity. 
Kuala Lumpur , Taylor Road. — The garden of a house in Kuala Lumpur, where the 
principal rat was R. r. jalorensis. This experiment lasted from mid-1950 to mid- 
1951. A popular account of this experiment has been published (Harrison, 1951). 
Kuala Lumpur , Spooner Road. — This is a large area of Melastoma- scrub at the edge of 
the Lake Gardens in Kuala Lumpur, bounded by Spooner and Venning Roads. 
The only ground animals found have been R. r. jalorensis and the Monitor 
Varanus nebulosus. Macaque Monkeys ( Macaca irus) and the Common Squirrel 
( Callosciurus caniceps ) are the other principal inhabitants. The experiment was 
commenced in mid- 1952 and continues. 
Most of the work in connexion with these Mark-Release experiments is carried out by 
Mr. Haidzir bin Mat Isa, assisted from time to time by Mr. Johan bin Haji Adam. 
The Assemblage of Hosts 
It will be seen that the forest contains a large assemblage of host species, no one of which is 
specially abundant. With regard to our collection, it should be pointed out that “ forest ” 
includes not only virgin forest but also areas from which a certan amount of timber has been 
cut out, and areas which are being or have been used as gardens by the Aborigines. 
When the forest is cleared most of the animals disappear with it, but some few animals 
seem to persist and adapt themselves to the altered conditions. Good examples of this process 
are the Wild Pig Sus scrofa , which is a major pest of the small cultivators ; and two squirrels, 
MALAYA , No. 26, 1953 
